


A New Dark Lord

by sollardragon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2018-08-07 19:32:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 123,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7726966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sollardragon/pseuds/sollardragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Hogwarts. Harry is now an Auror. He is attacked and is found by none other than Draco Malfoy. When questioned, Harry can’t remember what happened… or anything else for that matter. Then the interesting questions begin to pop up. Where are his children? Why is Ginny so mad at him? Who is behind the attack? What could have been the reason behind it? Please bear in mind that there are added characters that aren't in JK Rowling's universe. If you don't like reading those types of stories, please be kind and don't read, or read it but don't trash my character.</p><p>This story is beta's by Bubba and Lady Katye</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Attacked

 

 

**A New Dark Lord?:**

Chapter 1 - Attacked

“So, _now_ do I get to meet your school friends, Harry?” eighteen year old Miranda asked with an eyebrow raised, waiting impatiently for Harry’s answer. She watched through the ball of water they were communicating through as he frowned.

“I don’t know, Miranda. Everything here is kinda hectic. I’m not sure if you want to be subjected to what happens in the Wizarding world. Remember the articles I was telling you about a couple of years ago? The ones that were saying all kinds of crazy things about me?”

Miranda nodded. He’d sent her one such article not long after what’s his name came back. She never could remember his name.

“Well, now they’re even worse. I’ve got one here that says I’m getting married to someone I don’t even know. I mean, where do they _get_ this stuff?” he said in exasperation as he waved the paper around.

Miranda laughed at him. “Maybe you should tell them you’re already married to someone not even from the Wizarding world. It would be fun to see them run around like headless chickens.”

Harry stared at her blankly before he realized what she’d said and laughed. “That’d _definitely_ get them into a feeding frenzy. It’d be like being surrounded by sharks!”

“Come on, Harry,” Miranda whined, looking at him pleadingly. “You’ve said so much about your friends. When can I meet them?”

“Actually, it’s why I contacted you. I wanted you to come to my wedding,” Harry said with a sly smile.

Miranda looked at him in surprise. “You're getting _married?_ To who?”

“Ginny. We wanted to make sure before we actually went through with it. Why don’t you come over for a couple of days and you can see how it is here?”

"And you're only telling me now?" It wasn't really a question, but then Miranda tilted her head to one side as she looked over at him. “Are you sure I won’t be in the way?” She watched as Harry shrugged indifferently. “This’ll give you an idea of what I go through here with my friends.”

“Let me tell my dad and I’ll be right over,” she said in excitement as she ran over to where her father was working. “Dad, Harry invited me over for a couple of days. Mind if I go?”

“Go ahead, but be careful.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she murmured as she leaned closer and kissed his cheek before she was running back inside. “Is there enough room for me to come through?”

“Yeah, I moved the portal to the floor so you could come through.” 

Concentrating on the pool, she waited a couple of seconds longer just to make sure before stepping through. On the other side, she jumped into Harry’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I missed you!”

Laughing, Harry hugged her back. “I missed you too, but I _do_ need to breathe!”

She looked at him sheepishly as she let go. “Sorry.”

Still laughing, he draped an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, brat. Let’s get lunch.”

* * *

Two days later, Harry stood up at the front of a group of people, most of which were related to the Weasleys. The only one there for him was standing in the back in a beautiful dress he'd bought her from a store in Muggle London.

Fortunately, she wasn't the only one wearing Muggle clothes. He still hesitated with introducing her to the Weasley family. It just didn't feel right. He knew what Ron's reaction would be. He'd have a hissy fit. He wasn't quite sure about Ginny's reaction, though. In the last couple of months, she seemed to be unpredictable. He figured it was because of the pressures of the wedding.

He let his eyes roam over the guests before looking over at his best friend since childhood and realized how strange it was to see her among all these people. He could also see her unease.

He didn't blame her. He didn't know more than a handful or two of the people gathered there.

Then he spotted Ginny coming up the center aisle and smiled.

* * *

The ceremony went by quickly and, later, if anyone had asked him what went on during the ceremony, he wouldn't have been able to answer.

As he was making his rounds, he stopped where Miranda was sitting, looking bored so he sat down. "Are you having fun?"

"Actually, I found some of the people dancing were pretty hilarious, especially the drunken ones, but I don't know. I don't feel comfortable," she said with a shrug.

"Did you want to come meet Ginny?" he asked as he rubbed her back comfortingly.

He watched as she hesitated momentarily. "Nah, I don't think so. Not this time," she murmured as she frowned over at where they could see Ginny was talking to some of her girl friends.

"What's wrong, Miranda. You've never been shy before. Why now?"

She shook her head in confusion. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel right. I think I'll go home instead of staying at your house tonight."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked with a frown.

"I'm sure." He was surprised when she looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm happy for you, Harry. You deserve to be happy after everything."

He smiled at her affectionately. "Thanks. I'll still keep in touch." Leaning over, he kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly before watching her walked away.

He went on with his rounds until, a couple of hours later, he met up with Ginny again. Kissing her lightly, he sighed in content.

"So who was the young woman I saw you with earlier?" she asked mildly and he felt a flicker of unease.

"Oh, just someone who was at the wedding. She wanted to wish us all the best and many years of happiness. Why? Are you jealous?" he teased to hide his reaction.

Ginny sniffed in disgust. "Party crashers. You should _really_ learn to be harsher with them, Harry. You know they'll only take advantage of you if you don't," she told him arrogantly.

His unease went up a notch and he was now glad he hadn't introduced Miranda to her. Who knew how she'd react to an unknown friend. He was going to have to be careful there.

* * *

As the years rolled by, Harry was content with his life. He was a very successful Auror, thought it seemed to take up a lot of his time.

Two years after their wedding, James was born.

Harry was ecstatic!

A year later, Sirius joined the family.

Each year after James turned two, Harry would take two weeks and take the boys over to visit with Miranda, telling Ginny that it was just a trip for the boys. It gave her a much needed break and gave them a chance to know Miranda.

He liked visiting with her. She didn't ask questions, didn't harass him on what he did, just accepted that he came over with the boys. Only once had she asked about Ginny, and when he'd just shrugged in answer, she'd nodded in understanding.

She didn't ask again.

It was restful and the boys had fun.

He was surprised that James never told Ginny about Miranda, but then he was a smart little man. He probably knew Harry would be in trouble and under unfounded suspicions. She seemed to be getting worse, though, even accusing him of having an affair with one of his co-workers.

He was getting tired of it, but put up with it.

For the kids.

* * *

Draco looked up as he felt the disturbance in the wards around his property and frowned in irritation. Someone very powerful... and not very subtle had just entered through his Wards. He walked out of the study, heading for the front door, snapping his fingers as he went.

"Yes, Master Malfoy?" squeaked the house-elf that appeared beside him, walking quickly to keep up with Draco. Tammy, if Draco remembered correctly. They all looked alike to him.

"Yes, Tammy. Bring me my broom and cloak," he ordered.

Tammy squeaked again and vanished.

He was confident that the broom and cloak would be waiting for him when he reached the front door and kept walking. Right now, he needed to find out who was on his property and deal with them before his daughter came back.

It was a good thing Rebecca was away visiting Theodore's children or she'd insist on investigating this disturbance, Draco thought briefly.

Whoever it was wasn't very bright. Perhaps this was a trap? After six years, he'd have thought people would've given up on the 'Death Eater' thing. Draco felt his lips curl back at that thought.

At least they didn't attack his shop.... at least not since Pansy's death. That had been the last open attack on the Malfoys. Rebecca had been three. Pansy had taken her out shopping when three people had broken through the bodyguards and attempted to kill them both. Of course, no charges had been laid on them; in fact, they seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Pansy had died protecting Rebecca, though even that had been a narrow escape. As it was, Rebecca had spent two months in St. Mungo.s while she recovered from her injuries. That had been hard on Draco: caring for an injured child and burying a wife at the same time, but he'd done it. He'd had no choice.

Then he'd spent nearly a year with Rebecca waking him up with nightmares.

He smiled when he neared the door and Tammy was waiting there with the broom and cloak. Opening the door, he took both from the house-elf and kicked off the ground, following his wards to where they'd been breached.

Fifteen minutes later, he touched down in front of a decrepit house on the edge of his property. He'd forgotten about this house. He'd thought it would have been gone by now. Everything was quiet and he couldn't see anything or anyone from out here.

Draco frowned as he looked at the house in distaste.

Carefully, he walked closer, wand in hand and ready for anyone jumping out at him. Nothing happened when he opened the door, but he wasn't reckless enough to let his guard down until he knew for sure there was no danger.

He made it through the door and walked over to the stairs before he realized there was a sound. Like cloth on wood.

Frowning, he cocked his head and listened, trying to determine which direction the noise was coming from.

Cocking his head to one side, It took a couple of minutes but soon realized that it seemed to be coming from the room to his left. Turning in that direction, he walked cautiously into the room. He'd only moved a few paces when he noticed something large moving on the opposite side of the room.

Frowning, Draco pointed his wand in the direction of the movement. "Lumos," he murmured and felt his eyes open wide at the sight before him. There, lying against the wall, was a bloody man, who was trying to crawl his way around the room.

Draco gave the room a quick scan but saw no one else, so he quickly moved over to the man, wondering who it could be and why he was there. When he got closer, his eyes narrowed as something tugged at his memory. He should know who this was, but he couldn't place what was familiar about him.

Then the man turned and his eyes focused on him before they closed, and Draco suddenly knew why this man was familiar.

Harry Potter.

The name echoed in his head and his mind spun as he tried to make sense of this. He reached out to touch his shoulder, almost afraid to touch him.

* * *

Pain.

It seemed that was all he was.

There was no body. No thoughts.

Just pain.

Suddenly there was a hand touching him, which seemed to bring him back, focusing him into his body.

Slowly, he became aware that he lay on a floor. Forcing his eyes open showed him it was wooden.

He frowned, trying to remember where he was, why he was in pain, but nothing would focus in his head. He became aware of a face coming into his line of sight. The silver hair... the grey eyes... he knew this person... but the name wouldn't come to him.

Not a friend, but not exactly an enemy, either.

He blinked slowly as he realized the other was frowning down at him. Then the stranger opened his mouth and said something, but he didn't seem to hear it. He frowned and concentrated on the sound.

"-we need to get you some help," he heard at last and winced as he realized it hurt his ears. The stranger made to rise and he felt panic seize hold of him, making his heart pound.

"No," he gasped and grabbed hold of the stranger's arm to prevent him from getting up. "They'll find me! You can't tell anyone!" With that, he collapsed on the floor, his strength spent, gasping in pain.

The stranger looked down at him in surprise. "Who did this to you, Harry?"

Harry? Was that his name? He couldn't remember... it must be if this man knew him. As for who had done this to him..? He frowned as he tried to make his mind work.

The world began to fade again and he didn't try to fight it this time. There was something important... something he needed to do... but he couldn't move and he didn't know what it was anymore. He heard the stranger call his name, and tried to respond, but his body wouldn't listen to him and he decided it was too much effort right now.

He just needed to rest for a little bit...

* * *

"Harry!"

Draco wanted to shake the man to wake him, but didn't know if he should. He needed to get help for Harry, but what if Harry was right and whoever had done this to him found him? With a shake of his head, Draco wrapped Harry in his cloak and went to find his broom. As he rose to his feet, he noticed Harry's wand. He was surprised that he hadn't noticed it earlier.

Picking it up, he put it in his pocket. He'd give it back to Harry when he was feeling more himself.

Right now, he needed to get Harry somewhere warm and safe... in case someone followed Harry's signature here.

Narrowing his eyes, he strengthened his wards, hiding Harry's signature as he repaired the breach, before he returned to Harry's side. Propping the other man up in front of him, he managed to push off the ground and flew out of the house, heading towards the manor.

As he neared the manor, he wondered who he could contact to help him with Harry... and Rebecca would be home soon. He managed to land without losing Harry by holding him close when he touched ground.

Withdrawing his wand, he cast a levitation charm and floated Harry into the house, ignoring Tammy's scowl of disapproval as he handed her his broom. He took the other man upstairs and down the hall, placing him in a room not far from his own, in case he needed to get to Harry fast.

Once Draco had settled him on the bed, he snapped his fingers. Another house-elf appeared beside him. "Watch him. If he wakes up before I come back, come get me," he ordered before he left the room, heading for his own room.

"Yes, Master," the creature said, bowing low.

With a deft flick of his fingers, he undid his cloak and threw it on a nearby chair. He sat down at his desk and penned a quick note. "Alban," he called out. His personal house-elf usually wasn't far away, and sure enough, Alban appeared right away.

"Yes, Master?" he asked, bowing respectfully.

"I need you to deliver this note to Severus Snape as quickly as possible and wait for an answer," Draco ordered as he folded the piece of paper and handed it to Alban.

"Yes, Master." And he was gone before Draco strode from his room, heading for Harry's. Once there, he was about to ask the house-elf to get him a cloth and water, but it was already waiting for him in the room.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Draco used his wand to magic Harry's robes off, leaving him with a shirt and pants. Taking the cloth and bowl, he proceeded to wash the blood off Harry's face, trying to determine just how much damage there was.

"Why is it that you seem to attract all this bad luck, Harry," he murmured softly as the cloth revealed several cuts and burns on his face.

"Probably because he can't stop trying to play the hero," he heard behind him. Whipping around, he was surprised to see Severus standing at the door with Alban. He hadn't thought the old Potions master would come so quickly. "How long has he been like this?" the older man asked as he walked closer to the bed.

"I found him about twenty minutes ago when he broke through my wards. He was awake for a few minutes when I found him, but then passed out. It took me fifteen to bring him here and a couple of minutes to get you and come back here to clean the blood away." Draco turned back towards Harry, washing more blood off.

"And why didn't you take him to St. Mungo's?" Severus asked, an eyebrow raised indifferently as he looked down at the Savior of the Wizarding World.

"He said they'd find out where he was, that they'd kill him, but he didn't say who 'they' were. I figured if I couldn't take him there, you would be the next best thing." He frowned when Severus snorted at the observation.

"Trust Mr. Potter to be as vague as possible on something as important as who attacked him," the older man muttered.

"Are you going to help, or just stand there and make snide comments?" Draco snapped in irritation, looking back.

Snape's eyebrows rose at the tone. "I suppose I might as well _look_ at him while I'm here." Pulling his wand out, he cast a couple spells, frowning at what they revealed.

"Well?" Draco asked when Snape didn't say anything for a few moments.

Snape shook his head, his frown deepening slightly. "It's hard to say. There's a lot of trauma, but nothing to reveal what they used. We'll have to wait until he wakes to find out just what happened to him and who did it."

* * *

At supper that night, Draco listened to Rebecca describe her day to him, the games she'd played with Theo's kids. He smiled at the excitement in her voice, but his mind was stuck on the man laying upstairs. Harry hadn't woken up yet, but Snape had assured him that he'd sleep the night.

The old Headmaster had left but promised to return in the morning.

"Father? Can I go back tomorrow and play with Alicia and Timothy?" Rebecca asked, drawing him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, but come Monday, your tutor will be at the house and you _will_ be doing your lessons for the last three weeks of school," he told her with a look that told her he meant business.

Frowning, Rebecca chanced a look at her father from beneath her lashes to see if could weasel her way out of it, but the determined tilt of his head told her to not even bother. "Yes, Father."

\---  


A/n: Please remember, I enjoy creative criticism, it's how you can improve on the stories, but don't trash the story for me. I actually enjoy writing this and all stories I write. It kinda makes it hard to please everyone.


	2. I'm Who?

Chapter 2 – I’m Who?

Harry swam out of the darkness to the memory of pain and frowned in confusion. Where was he? What had happened?  


Opening his eyes slowly, he frowned as he saw the richness of the room. Was this was his room..?  


That was when he realized that he couldn’t remember anything… except for blonde hair and grey eyes.  


“I see you’re awake.”  


Harry’s head whipped around to find the source of the voice.  


“It’s about time. I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid us.”  


In the doorway stood a man with blonde hair and grey eyes…  


The stranger walked into the room and motioned to a strange creature Harry had missed earlier. “Tell Severus that Potter is awake.”  


Harry’s eyes widened as the creature bowed and vanished. Clearing his throat, Harry turned his attention back to the stranger. “I’m sorry, but… who are you? And what was that thing?”  


The stranger frowned at him and sat down in the chair beside the bed. “Honestly, Potter, this isn’t the time to joke.”  


“I’m not joking,” Harry told him as he slowly pulled himself up so he was sitting on the bed, reclining against the pillows with a sigh when his back protested. He wondered what had happened to him.  


The blonde’s eyes sharpened before another stranger walked in. The greasy black hair and hard black eyes reminded Harry of someone…  


One second the memory was there, the next it was gone.  


He tried to bring it back, but all he got after a few minutes of fruitless concentration was a headache. All the while the two strangers watched him.  


“Potter here says he doesn’t know who I am,” the blonde said, looking at the man in the doorway.  


Harry watched as an eyebrow rose and he stared back at him, face expressionless. “Really? And you actually expect us to believe that?” the older man asked in a tone that grated along Harry’s nerves like nails on a chalkboard.  


Harry frowned in irritation. “If I knew who you were, do you think I’d waste my time saying otherwise?” he asked angrily, glaring back at the older man. How _dare_ he question what Harry knew to be true? He didn’t know what was in Harry’s head. Who was he, anyway?  


“Potter, control yourself,” the blonde said sharply. Only then did Harry notice that things around the room were shaking.  


“Who’s doing that?” he asked in surprise.  


“You are, you stupid fool,” the dark-haired man snapped angrily. “Control your emotions.”  


Harry blinked at him for a few seconds before he closed his eyes and concentrated on controlling his emotions. Breathing slowly, he managed to calm himself, feeling… something… slowly settle down in him. He felt slightly light-headed when he opened his eyes. “What’s going on? Who are you? Where am I? And what the _hell_ happened to me?”  


The two strangers exchanged looks before the dark-haired man moved closer. “Let me try something,” he murmured and pulled out an object from his pocket, pointing it at Harry.  


Harry’s eyes went wide and vague as he stiffened as… something… a memory flashed in front of his eyes...  


_This man standing in a dungeon-like room, casting a spell with a wand pointed at him, making his head feel like it was being split in half as he tried to do something… several times over a long period of time…_  


And that seemed to trigger other scenes…  


_A dark haired man with tattoos, hugging him tightly, while a thin, sandy haired man stood behind him…_  


_A younger Harry standing in front of a mirror that reflected back two adults, one on each side of him…_  


When he became aware of his surroundings again, he was panting hard while the two strangers watched him. The dark-haired man was frowning and the blonde looked surprised and concerned, sitting on the edge of his seat.  


“Potter? Are you okay?” the blonde asked, concern lacing his words.  


“I think so,” Harry murmured, wiping his forehead with a trembling hand. “Why can’t I remember anything?”  


“I’m not quite sure,” the dark haired man murmured, eyes narrowing in thought, playing with the object Harry’s mind was now labeling as a wand. “What did you see?”  


“You, holding that… wand pointed at me, then two men, one with black hair and tattoos and a sandy-haired man who was extremely thin, then a strange kind of mirror that showed two people standing beside a younger me. What does it mean?”  


“It means that certain things will trigger your memory and that, in time, you should regain all your memories,” the dark haired man told him as he put his wand way.  


Just then, an owl swooped in through the open window and settled at the foot of the bed carrying a newspaper.  


Draco rose and collected it, putting some money in the pouch around the bird’s neck. Its errand done, it flew out of the window. Draco unrolled the paper and cursed fluently. “As if we didn’t have enough to deal with right now,” he muttered, laying the paper on the bed so the others could read it as well.  


On the front page was a picture of Harry with a young woman, which had been torn down the center, dividing the smiling couple. The headline was written in huge letters, assuring that anyone looking at the paper could see it easily  


_”Saviour to Divorce School Sweetheart!”_  


“Who’s the girl?” Harry asked, frowning at the picture. It stirred something in his memory, but nothing that would stay still long enough for him to register. He felt like he should know her, that there was something he was missing… something important.  


“That? That’s Ginny. And if this article is right, she’s going to be your soon-to-be ex-wife,” Draco told him, watching him carefully. “Do you remember her?”  


Harry looked at the picture again, but nothing would focus. “No, nothing,” he said, shaking his head in frustration.  


“It says here that you have three children together. Are they with her?” Snape asked as he finished reading the article.  


“Children?” he asked in surprise, his eyes un-focusing as a memory flitted to the surface. He saw a woman with dirty-blonde hair that fell in a long plait down her back. She looked like she loved to laugh and was roughly his own age. Behind her was a strange creature… then it was gone, leaving him gasping and shaking.  


Resting his head back on the pillow, he cracked his eyes opened and saw the look the blonde and the dark-haired man exchanged.  


“What did you see, Harry?” the blonde asked, frowning.  


“A woman and before you ask, no, I don’t know her, or why I’d see her either,” Harry told them tiredly.  


The older man frowned in thought. “You saw her after we mentioned children, so she must be important in some way. Perhaps more will be revealed later. Come, Draco. Potter needs his rest.”  


With that, he turned and walked out, robes billowing out behind him.  


The blonde rose to follow. “Draco?” Harry asked a little hesitantly.  


“Hm?” Draco looked down at him with an eyebrow raised in question.  


“Who is he and why do I have this intense dislike for him?” He watched a look of comprehension and wariness cross the other’s face before it was gone.  


“His name is Severus Snape and he used to be our Potions teacher when we were in school. He still teaches,” Draco murmured, putting his hands in his pockets. “As for your dislike of him… I think maybe you should ask him yourself later. I’ll have one of the house-elves bring you something to eat. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get you a lawyer for the divorce.”  


With a slight bow of his head, Draco left the room, closing the door behind him.  
Harry frowned down at the paper that showed him and a red-haired woman. They looked so in love… but if they were, why the divorce? And what was this about children?  
Picking up the paper, he began to read.


	3. The Dream

Chapter 3 – The Dream

_A baby’s wail flowed around him, echoing eerily back and forth._

_“Daddy! Don’t leave us here!”_

Harry jerked awake, the cries following him.

“Potter? Are you alright?” Draco asked from above him, a hand on his shoulder.

“What?” Harry asked, turning his head around to look back, he blinked blearily to focus his eyes on the blonde.

“It sounded like you were having a bad dream.”

Harry frowned, trying to remember his dream, but it was already beginning to fade in his mind. He shook his head and rolled over onto his back. “What time is it?”

“A little after one o’clock. Tammy said you didn’t eat your lunch, so I thought I’d come and check on you,” Draco told him as he sat down in the chair.

“I’m not really hungry,” Harry murmured, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

“If you don’t eat, you won’t be able to keep you appointment with your lawyer in two days,” Draco murmured casually, looking at his nails, though he was secretly watching Harry.

Harry looked at him in surprise. “Lawyer?” he asked, frowning. “Oh, yes, my divorce. How are we going to do that? Since I don’t remember Ginny or my kids?”

“That’s why we have to talk to the lawyer. To see what your options are,” Draco told him, looking pointedly at the tray. With a sigh, Harry reached over and picked up the tray. 

“Tomorrow, we’ll see just how well your wounds have healed and we can walk around the manor. You’ll need your strength to fight your wife in court.”

“Even if I don’t remember her?” Harry said with a frown as he ate some of the food, only now realizing just how hungry he was.

“Even if you don’t remember her. Did you remember anything at all?”

Harry tilted his head slightly as he ran through the memories he did have, but there was nothing new there, though he felt like he was missing something… something important. With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head. “Nothing. This could be slightly problematic, especially if they ask me to clarify things that I don’t know.”

“That’s true, but we’ll deal with the problems as they arise, otherwise we’ll just exhaust ourselves needlessly.” Draco turned his attention to the window while Harry ate, so the other man wouldn’t feel watched, but his thoughts were still on the problem of how to help Harry with his divorce.

When Harry was done, he put the fork down with a sigh of contentment. “So, why can’t I get up today?” he asked curiously.

“Because, Mr. Potter,” Snape drawled from the doorway. “If you get up too soon, you’ll undo all the healing I‘ve done since Draco found you. We’ll err on the side of caution for now, so I don’t have to do the job twice.”

“Are you a Healer, sir?” Harry asked in surprise.

Snape’s eyebrow rose at that statement. “No, I’m not, but as a Potions master, I have some knowledge of certain potions and spells that Healers use. _Perhaps this whelp doesn’t know who I am and how much he hates me… this could be used to my advantage…_

“Is that what you teach at the school?” Harry asked, wondering just what his history with this man could be. So far he’d been rude, yes, but that seemed to be the way he was with everyone, even Draco, though the blonde didn’t seem to mind it all that much. “Potions?”

“Yes.”

“Was I any good at Potions?” Harry asked as a thought occurred to him. Perhaps that was why Snape didn’t like him?

“Not really, although you did manage to pass it with marks sufficient to get the career you wanted.”

“Which was?”

“An Auror. It also seems you were quite good at it,” Snape drawled, losing interest in the discussion. “Draco, we need to talk,” he told the blonde before turning away and walking out of the room.

“Try to get some more rest,” Draco murmured as he rose to his feet.

Harry watched him follow the old professor, frowning in thought. _Just what is an Auror?_ he wondered.

* * *

“What is it, Severus?” Draco asked as he followed the old professor into the living room.

“I’ve just found out some interesting news from some old contacts. It seems that someone’s been snooping around, looking for Potter, discreetly of course.”

“His wife?” Draco asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise. He hadn’t thought that they would be looking for him this soon.

“No, this is a group of men… three or four of them. Some of them are pretending to be some old friends, but the feeling my contacts had was that they weren’t looking for him for old time’s sake. Potter may not be safe here for much longer. It helps right now that he’s stuck here at the manor, but once the divorce proceedings begin, that’ll change. We may need a different place to store him until the enemies can be identified.”

“No,” Draco murmured, frowning in thought. “I think we should keep him here. If they know he’s here, they might tip their hand and show us who is at the heart of this fight. We might also find out why this is happening. Something tells me that Harry is at the center, but I’m not quite sure why, yet. We need more information than we have. What were they asking about, specifically?”

“Some were asking if they’d seen him, if there was anything different about him… things that wouldn’t draw attention otherwise. What are you thinking of, Draco?”

“I think we need to prepare a trap for those who might show up looking for Potter. Because when we start this divorce, they’re going to know where he is and come after him.”

* * *

_Pain filled his body as he lay on the floor, writhing as someone spoke to him, though he couldn’t make sense of what was being said. What looked like sand or a fine powder was all around him, obscuring the black marble floor…._

_Green flashes whizzed by his head as he ran with the crowd, screams of pain and panic flowing around him as he followed them, wondering what was happening… until he tripped and someone knocked him in the head with their foot as they rushed by him…_

_Another green flash struck him in the chest and he was thrown a few feet away, dead…_

_“Where is he, Harry? We need him if we’re going to do this right,” a masked woman asked as she walked closer to where he was tied and kneeling, panting hard from the fight to get away. Her hood hid her identity, her voice a little distorted so he wouldn’t know who she was._

_“Why do you want him? He’s only a child. I hardly think he could do much for you.”_

_“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Harry. He’s going to be our future. Where you once destroyed one, another will replace him. Now… all you have to do is tell me where you put him,” she purred as she ran a hand down the side of his face, ignoring the split lip and the bruised chin._

_Harry laughed in her face. “You won’t find him. Even I don’t know where he is. She’ll keep them out of your hands forever, if it goes that far. So do what you want to me, I won’t tell you were they are. My children will be safe from you.”_

_She backed away from him with a snarl of anger and took out her wand, pointing it at him._ “Crucio!” 

* * *

A scream ripped through the air. Draco and Snape looked at each other in surprise before they tore out of the living room and raced up the stairs, heading towards Harry’s room. Just as they reached the door, the manor shuddered slightly and they felt a wave of power ripple from the room before the manor shuddered again.

They hurried into the room and stopped as they watched Harry thrash on the bed as if he were being attacked. His eyes were wide opened, but unseeing. There were gashes on the skin they could see and as they watched another opened just under his collarbone. He screamed again and they felt another wave of power ripple from Harry before the manor shuddered.

“He’s caught in a dream loop. This must be what they did to him. We have to wake him up,” Snape told Draco before he pulled his wand out, pointing it at Harry. _“Vas Aqua Respergo,” he murmured softly._

Draco watched as water splashed Harry in the face, shocking him out of whatever dream he was having. 

Harry gasped at the suddenness of waking up and registered the pain of the cuts on his chest and arms. Already, the dream was beginning to fade.

“What were you dreaming about, Mr. Potter?” Snape asked as he moved closer to the bed, silently casting the spell to dry both Harry and the bed.

Harry frowned as he tried to recall what he’d seen. “A woman was asking me where someone was. When I told her I didn’t know, she got angry. Is that what happened to me?”

Snape noticed that Harry’s eyes weren’t really focused on the room, and he frowned as he looked down at the damage that the dream had inflicted on the newly healed skin. 

“Draco, help me lift him up. I need to see something.”

Draco nodded and helped the old Potions master sit Harry up. Snape cursed as he saw blood seeping into Harry’s shirt and pulled it away from the skin before it could dry on the new wounds. He ignored Harry’s gasp of pain as he pulled the shirt off him and threw it on the floor. “Alban!” Draco called before Snape could say anything.

“Master?” the house-elf squeaked as he popped in.

“Get some bandages and some water,” he ordered as he held Harry’s weight while Snape moved slightly to get a better look at the damage.

“Yes, Master.” With that the house-elf was gone.

“Well, at least the damage isn’t as bad as it was when you found him. This will heal quickly. He should still be able to get up and walk around tomorrow,” Snape murmured as he took the bowl of water and bandages the house-elf returned with.

“Get me the healing salve that’s in my room, please,” he asked Alban as he wet the towel and began cleaning the wounds. “They’re not as deep as the last time, at least.”

The house-elf returned with the salve and waited to see if he was needed any further

“Who do you think she wanted?” Draco asked Snape, looking back to see that Harry’s eyes were closed once more, his head resting slightly on the his shoulder.

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” Snape murmured as he slowly applied the salve before putting the bandages on the cuts. He had a suspicion, but he didn’t want to share it quite yet. He wanted to see if his hunch was right.


	4. The Lawyer

Chapter 4 – The Lawyer

“Are you sure I can’t go out with you?” Rebecca asked, looking up at Draco with what she hoped was a puppy look on her face. It hadn’t worked yet, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t practice the look anyway.

When she saw his eyebrow rise, she knew it still wasn’t working. Damn!

“I told you Saturday night that your tutor would be here. Now go or else I’ll extend your schooling an extra week just for spite.”

Glaring at him, she stomped her foot in anger. “You never take me anywhere!” she huffed.

His other eyebrow rose at the blatant lie. “Rebecca, I want you to stop or else I’ll put an end to your visits with Alicia and Timothy. You’re obviously picking up their bad habits and I will _not_ put up with it.”

She knew by his tone that she was one short step from being grounded. She realized that he was right. It wasn’t like her to do things like this, but she wanted to go with him and their mystery guest. Even the house-elves were being tight lipped about his identity. Why all the secrecy?

“I’m sorry, Father,” she whispered, head bowed.

She looked up when Draco put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with gentle eyes. “You know if I could, I’d take you with me, but right now it isn’t safe. I promise I’ll take you to the shop with me later today, alright?”

Sighing, she took a step closer to him and hugged him tightly. “Alright. I love you,” she murmured softly.

“I love you too,” he said, returning the hug.

* * *

Harry and Draco sat across from a goblin that was looking at them with very penetrating eyes. “Are you sure you want to go down this path, Mr. Potter?” he asked, switching his gaze to Harry.

Harry returned his gaze without flinching. “Yes, but I want to know what my legal options are considering my amnesia.”

“Yes, that will make things difficult. What are your terms for your wife?”

Draco and he had already spoken of this before they’d even left the manor. “I want the keys to my vault – for the Potter vault and the Black vault. I want Ginny taken out of my will as next of kin. She can keep the house she’s in, but the rest of them are mine. I also want the children with me. I’m willing to give her enough money to pay for her basic expenses for the year, but nothing more.”

The goblin’s eyebrow rose at the precise demands Harry was asking for. “Anything else?”

“I want to stop her ability to sell any of my properties, as well.” Harry watched the goblin carefully. Draco had assured him that this goblin was the best at divorce law. As for the rest, he would see it was done for Harry. “I’d also like to see my children. Could you set something up?”

“It will take some time to get everything ready, you understand?” the goblin asked after a few moments of watching Harry.

“I’m sure you’ll be efficient,” Harry murmured, nodding respectfully.

“I will get back to you as soon as I have results. You’ll be staying at Malfoy Manor?” 

“Until I get some things settled, Mr. Malfoy has agreed to help me for the next couple of weeks. When I change address, I’ll let you know so you can still get a hold of me,” Harry told him as they got up to leave. “Thank you, Mr. Westrum.”

As they left the office, Harry heaved a sigh of relief that he’d completed the interview without any trouble, and he was glad he’d told the lawyer about the amnesia, in case it became an issue.

“That’s one thing down, now we have to go to Diagon Alley and get those ingredients Snape wanted,” Draco murmured as he walked beside Harry.

“Did he even tell you what he’s going to do with them?” Harry asked, curious as to what the old Potions master was up to. He was being very tight lipped about it, that was for sure.

“Not yet, but I’m sure he’ll tell us when he’s ready. Come on.” He led Harry out of the building. As they walked down the street, someone ran into Harry.

“Sorry,” the other guy mumbled before he stopped. “Harry?”

Both men stopped to look back at the man and Draco wanted to groan when he realized who it was. Ronald Weasley. Harry looked over at Draco in question. “Ron, he’s your best friend,” Draco murmured, making it look like he was covering a cough.

Harry smiled, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt. “Ron? How are you?”

“Good, mate. What are you doing here? And with Malfoy?” 

Harry frowned as Ron spat out the name. “He’s helping me out for a while. Is there a problem with that?”

Ron sputtered, his eyebrows rising in surprise. He grabbed hold of Harry’s arm and pulled him away a little so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Harry! That’s the ferret! When did you become friends with him?”

Harry pulled his arm out of Ron’s hold with an annoyed look on his face. “When he saved my life? Having someone save you from death’s door tends to change a lot of things, Ron. And stop calling him ferret.”

Ron gaped at Harry like he’d lost his mind… if only he knew, Harry thought to himself. “You do realize who you’re talking about, right? Malfoy doesn’t help anyone unless it benefits him in some way. Why don’t you come home with me? Viviane would be glad to see you. You haven’t come around in a while, after all.” 

“Not right now, Ron. I’m in the middle of something at the moment and I need to figure some things out,” Harry told him.

“Harry? We have to go,” Draco called out, waiting impatiently and frowning at them.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Harry told Ron, who was glaring at the blonde.

“One thing, Harry,” Ron said, talking hold of Harry’s arm before he could walk away. “Is it true that you’re divorcing Ginny?”

“Yes, why?”

“How could you do that to her, Harry? I thought you two were happy?” Ron asked with a pained expression.

“I thought we were too, Ron. Things change.” With that, he waved to Ron as he walked away to rejoin Draco. 

When they were further away, Draco turned to see if Ron was following them. “Well, that went better than I thought it would. What did he want to know that he didn’t want me to hear?”

Harry frowned as he thought back to that conversation. “Why did Ron call you ferret? Are we usually enemies?”

Draco was silent for a few blocks. “In school, we were enemies," he admitted finally, "but then, the Wizarding world was at war and you were their ‘Savior’. Back then I thought you were only seeking attention from everyone. Since then, we haven’t really associated, but we haven’t really been enemies, either.”

Harry was quiet for a while as he thought about what Ron had told him and what Draco had just revealed.

“What are you thinking about, Harry?” Draco asked as he led him into a pub called the Leaky Cauldron and through to the back.

“I’m just wondering what I’m doing. It seems that I know two different sides of you, but then, this could also be just a ruse to get me to trust you. Why would I go to you for help instead of my friends? Things just don’t make sense.” Harry heaved a sigh and he raised an eyebrow at the wall they were facing. “Where are we anyway?”

Draco smirked and began tapping some of the stones. When he was done, he watched Harry’s reaction as the stones began to move and melt away, revealing the alley behind it. Harry stared in amazement and Draco smiled at the wonder on his companion’s face.

This, Draco realized, must have been the look he had when he’d seen the Wizarding world for the first time at the age of eleven. He’d found out, with some discreet searching, that Harry hadn’t know about his heritage before entering this world. That thought was foreign to Draco, but then Harry would always know how to move in the Muggle world, whereas Draco wouldn’t have a clue as to how to get around in it.

“Come on. The sooner we find what Snape wants, the sooner we can get back and see what information has come from my contacts.” 

* * *

“How did the outing go?” Snape asked Draco when he entered the Potions room Draco had in the manor. Draco wondered how he could spend all day at school and come here to work in the lab, but then to Severus Snape, working in the lab was relaxing.

Harry, thankfully, had gone up to rest before lunch.

“Better than I expected, though Harry’s friends now know – or will know by the time Ronald Weasley is done – where he is, and so will his enemies. We might end up with some unwanted company… and soon.

“Explain.”

“We met up with Ron Weasley as we were leaving the lawyer’s building. He had to talk to Harry by himself, so I’m not quite sure what was said, but Harry was kind of quiet for the rest of our time out,” Draco said with a shrug.

“Do you think it’ll change what Potter thinks?” Snape asked, frowning in thought. “If he’s going to start balking when we try to help him with this problem, we might have more trouble than we first anticipated.”

“I don’t think so. I tried to talk to him before we reached Diagon Alley, but I’m not sure if it did any good. I just hope he comes to either one of us if he has questions.” Draco sighed tiredly. “I really don’t want us to go back to being on opposites sides again.”

Snape watched him for a few moments before going back to examining the ingredients Draco had just given him. “You want him to be a friend, don’t you?”

Draco’s head whipped around to look at his godfather. “What makes you say that?” Snape’s eyebrow rose and Draco smiled sheepishly. “That obvious, huh?”

“Just a little, though, I don’t think Potter realizes just how much of a... _friend_ you want to be.”

Draco snorted at that. “I’ve noticed that Potter doesn’t notice much unless it’s right under his nose. At least that’s how it was at school,” he said with a shrug. “I guess we’ll have to see if he’s changed or not. I have to go. I promised Rebecca I'd take her to the shop with me.”

"Have fun," Snape said with an amused smirk.


	5. Miranda

Chapter 5 – Miranda

“Activate the spell covering it,” the woman said, looking down at the red-haired woman who cowed before her.  


“Yes, Mistress,” Ginny murmured before she backed away, heading out of the room. After this, she was going to have to pay a special visit to her mother before anyone suspected something was wrong. And it was all _his_ fault.  


Ginny walked into her room and cast the cancellation to the Concealment spell before grabbing the phial she needed. Heading for the Apparating point, she frowned as Blaise fell into step with her.  


“Where are you going?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in question.  


“I figured I’d visit the family so they don’t get any ideas of joining Harry’s side in the divorce. Why?” she asked as she looked over at him. She could feel her body quicken at the look in his eyes.  


“Don’t be long,” he murmured before heading down another corridor.  


_Oh, yes_ , she thought as she watched him walk away. _Most definitely not be long_ …

* * * 

Harry sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling his tie off and throwing it on a nearby chair. He hadn’t realized how taxing the day had been until they had returned to the Manor.  


How was he supposed to do this? His lawyer had said he would send an owl when they were ready to go to court. How was he going to react to his wife? He didn’t even know her! Even the word ‘wife’ brought nothing to the surface.  


All he could hope for was for more of his memory to come forward before that day. It would be nice to know _why_ he was divorcing her. Was she a bad mother? A bad wife? Did she cheat on him or was he simply tired of her? Or was he the problem and not her?  


He shook his head and sighed again, falling back on the bed to stare at the ceiling.  


He recalled the meeting with Ron. The way he‘d spat out Draco’s name, like they were enemies. Did that mean Harry and Draco were also supposed to be enemies? Ron had been quite shocked that Harry was getting along with Draco, in fact.  


Just what was going on?  


And why would he go to Draco for help instead of his best friend? Ron’s reaction showed he was hurt that Harry had, in fact, not gone to him for the help he needed. What had happened between them to make that happen?  


He sighed in frustration, rubbing his eyes.  


All this contemplation was giving him a headache. Then he frowned as he realized that something was missing and realized what it was. In some of his memories, he’d been wearing glasses. Why wasn’t he now?  


He’d have to ask Draco, maybe he would know. Right now it was just too much effort to get up and go find him.  


With another sigh, he closed his eyes, hoping to get rid of the headache…

* * *

_Flashes of light, both green and white were flying everywhere. He could feel a stinging pain from the cuts on his face and hands._

_Where was he?_

_Everything was moving too fast to focus on any specific thing. He knew there were multiple people fighting, but the faces wouldn’t come into focus._

_A man with black hair and tattoos was standing beside him, laughing in delight. He registered briefly that he knew this man... He couldn’t remember his name, but he knew he loved this man dearly._

_Who was he?_

_They’d defeated two opponents when a flash of green hit the black-haired man in the chest, catching him by surprise. Suddenly he was being swept back and up into a weird looking curtain and then was gone._

_He remembered screaming… something… Someone grabbing him from behind…_

_Then the scene faded…_

_The dream shifted to a strange place, where a small girl stood before him, laughing. “Come on, Harry. You know we can always scare the piss out of your cousin again,” she told him, her eyes sparkling mischievously._

_“But, Miranda, you know he’ll tell them you were here again… Unless you want to get caught,” a young Harry said, frowning as he looked at his new friend._

_She laughed again and twirled around, looking up at the sky. “Where’s your sense of adventure, Harry!” she said loudly._

_“You like this, don’t you,” he accused as he looked around the yard, worried that his aunt and uncle would return sooner than expected. “You’re not afraid of them, are you?”_

_“Afraid? Why would I be afraid?” she asked, frowning at him as she watched him closely. She didn’t understand this. Adults could be fearsome, yes, but they didn’t hurt you, after all._

_“Because if they catch you here, Dudley will tell them what you did to him earlier and then we’ll both be in trouble,” Harry hissed, pulling her closer, trying to convey his worry. “You don’t get it. They don’t just stop at a spanking. They take it further than that! A lot further.”_

_Just then they heard a car pull up. He pulled her behind the shed and hoped they wouldn’t look for him._

_No such luck._

_“Potter?!” he heard his uncle yell as he came puffing out into the back yard. “Where is that useless boy? Supper should have been cooked by now.”_

_“Don’t make a sound and stay hidden,” Harry whispered in her ear. She sighed impatiently at his fear. He could tell she didn’t understand it, but she would soon find out what there was to fear from adults... well, these adults, anyway._

_He picked up some weeds and smudged some dirt on his knees to make it look like he’d been weeding his aunt’s flowers, before he walked around the shed. “Yes, Uncle Vernon?”_

_“There you are. Where’s my supper? What were you doing?” Vernon demanded angrily._

_“Sorry, Uncle Vernon. I was just finishing up the flower garden for Aunt Petunia,” Harry told him as he showed the fat man the weeds, hoping that would satisfy him._

_“You mean to tell me,” Vernon began, his face beginning to purple, “that you’ve been out here playing instead of making my supper?”_

_“I’m sorry, I l-l-lost track of time,” Harry mumbled, eyes wide in his little face, taking a quick step back as the fat man advanced towards him._

_“You leave him alone, you big bully,” Miranda yelled, rage on her face for her friend. “No wonder your son is a bully! He learned it from_ you.” 

_“Miranda! No!” Harry yelled, rooted to the spot in his fear. He watched as his uncle’s attention diverted to the little girl, his eyes bulging in surprise._

_“And just who the hell are you?” he demanded, watching as she marched right up to him._

_“I’m Harry’s friend and you better not hurt him,” she warned, wagging a finger at him. If Harry hadn’t been so scared, he probably would have laughed at the sight. A little girl giving a grown up shit for being mean._

_“You’d better mind your own business, little girl, before someone reminds you to do so,” Vernon growled menacingly._

_Harry held his breath, wondering if his uncle would actually hurt her. That was when he noticed her hands moving in one of the patterns she’d shown him earlier. “Miranda--”_

_The warning came too late. A ball of energy hit Vernon in the chest. He stumbled back a few steps, surprised… before he became enraged. “Another_ freak _!” he choked out, moving closer to the fearless little girl. “I’ll teach you…” he growled, raising his fist in the air._

_Harry took a deep breath to scream…_

* * *

“Potter?” Snape asked, frowning down at the man on the bed, shaking him roughly from his dream. 

“He hit her,” Harry mumbled, jerking awake.

“Who hit her?”

“My uncle. He hit her when she tried to protect me,” Harry murmured, blinking up at the ceiling, trying to remember the dream... was it a dream? Or a memory?

“When? Who is she?” Snape’s frown deepened. Was this a recent or an old memory? He couldn’t remember hearing anything about Harry’s uncle ever hitting anyone before. Was this something else Dumbledore had hidden from everyone else? That old coot had always been good at hiding thing from everyone. Especially when it came to his Golden Boy.

“Miranda. She was my only friend when I was little. She understood what I could do. She didn’t think I was a freak, like my family…”

Snape was surprised at Harry’s openness on the subject. Who was this Miranda? He didn’t remember anyone with that name as a student at Hogwarts.

“She was fearless, standing up to him like that,” he murmured with a fond smile on his face. “I’ve never had someone do that for me before… or since. Why did no one ever help me?” he asked, looking over at the old Potions master, frowning in confusion.

So then this was a memory, Snape thought to himself, surprised at the look of confusion on Harry’s face. “We were never told that your uncle abused you, Harry,” Snape 

murmured, not realizing that he’d called the man on the bed by his first name for the first time. “Was Miranda hurt?”

Harry frowned as he tried to recall. “I… think so. It’s starting to fade, now. Will the memories ever stay for me to remember them clearly?”

“They will. It’s just your body’s way of protecting itself. You just have to be patient. I’m brewing a potion that should help with the memory problems a bit. I just have to check something out. Hold still.”

Harry nodded and watched as his old professor pulled out his wand and said an incantation too softly for Harry to clearly catch the words. A light drifted out of the tip of the wand and settled over Harry, making his skin tingle a little, like someone had run little fingers over him.

Whatever it revealed, it made Snape’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “Well…”

“What did you find?” Harry asked calmly, watching him carefully.

“It seems someone cast a spell on you.”

“What kind of spell?” Draco asked from where he was lounging against the door frame, watching his godfather and his guest interact. He really hadn’t thought that Snape and Potter would ever get along. It seemed he’d been wrong.

“One to permanently block his memories. Clearly someone doesn’t want Potter to remember something,” Snape murmured, frowning down at Harry. “I have work to do,” he told them as he spun around and walked out of the room. He stopped in front of Draco. “We need to talk.”

Draco nodded and looked over at Harry. “Why don’t you take a shower before supper? There are some fresh clothes in the closet. They should fit you.”

Harry sat up and nodded at him before Draco turned and followed the Potions master down the hall. 

What had all that been about? Harry wondered with a frown before he got up and walked into the bathroom. Perhaps a shower _would_ help…

* * *

“What kind of spell is it?” Draco asked after he closed the door to the room Snape had appropriated as his potions lab.

“It’s complicated,” Snape murmured as he flipped through a book.

“You said it permanently blocked memories. What else does it do?”

Snape sighed and put the book down. “It also allows whoever cast it to see what memories Harry sees. I’m not sure if it also includes dreams, but Potter may be in more danger than we first assumed. Of course, it could be why he’s dreaming his memories instead of seeing more of them when he’s awake.” Snape shook his head, trying to get his thoughts organized. “They already know he’s still alive, and, if it’s as you say, you met up with Mr. Weasley, then his enemies may already know where he is.”

“I think I’ll spend some time reinforcing the wards around the estate,” Draco murmured with a tired sigh. “Rebecca will be home for supper from the field trip her tutor wanted her to go on. Are you going to join us? You know how she likes it when you stay and visit with her.”

Snape frowned down at the book on the table. “I think I will. I might even spend a few nights here to make sure nothing goes wrong with Potter. It’ll save you the trouble of sending for me,” he said with a shrug, ignoring the knowing smirk on Draco’s face.

“Of course,” Draco murmured and left Snape to his research. He was halfway down the hallway when he frowned in thought. How was this going to unfold? This would be the first time Harry would meet Rebecca since he’d been in the house.

Draco hadn’t told her about Harry yet, and he’d forbidden the house-elves from telling her about their guest.

This should prove to be an interesting evening…

On his way downstairs, he stopped at Harry’s room to invite him to eat with the rest of them. Harry was just coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, toweling his unruly hair.

 _Oh, wow_ , Draco thought as he allowed his eyes to roam the naked skin before him, down to the low riding towel. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. Tearing his eyes off the delectable sight, he looked up again and opened his mouth to speak when he noticed something strange on Harry’s back.

“Harry, when did you get a tattoo?” he asked, frowning as it seemed to tug at his memory, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen this particular tattoo before.

Harry jumped slightly in surprise, not realizing someone had been there. “Tattoo?” he asked, looking back at Draco with an eyebrow raised in question.

“The one on your back,” Draco said as he moved closer, looking at the tattoo which seemed to be rippling slightly. Harry tried to look at his back, but he didn’t see what Draco was looking at. Almost like he was compelled to do so, Draco reached out and touched it.

He pulled his hand back in a hurry when Harry hissed in pain and arched away from his touch. “Alban!”

The house-elf appeared beside him in an instant. “Master?”

“Get Severus. Hurry.” The house-elf bowed and was gone as Draco gestured for Harry to sit on the bed as he went to stand behind him. Going into the closet, he threw Harry a pair of pants to put on, coming out with a shirt for him to wear after Snape had had a chance to look at the tattoo.

It took a few minutes, but Snape came striding into the room. “Now what?” Draco didn’t say anything, simply pointed to Harry’s back. Snape walked over to stand beside Draco and watched in growing horror as the tattoo seemed to undulate on the skin before him. “Cover it,” he ordered suddenly, face pale. 

Draco dropped the shirt beside Harry and felt a sense of relief when it was finally covered. “What the hell is that?” he asked softly.

Snape shook his head. “Nothing good,” he murmured before he headed for the door. “I need to do some research.”

“What’s going on?” Harry asked as he looked up at Draco.

“Not sure,” Draco murmured, still staring at the door before turning to look at Harry. “I came in to tell you that you’ll be eating with the rest of us tonight.” With a nod, he left the room.

* * *

“We’re having guests for supper tonight,” Draco murmured as he looked at his daughter, smiling fondly. It seemed that the Malfoy look was stronger than the Parkinson side of the family. She looked like a feminine version of Draco. Her blonde hair hung down her back in slightly curly waves. 

Rebecca looked up at her father in surprise, cocking her head to one side. “Oh, you mean you’re done with locking up the guest in that room?” she asked cheekily, her eyes dancing mischievously.

Draco’s eyebrow rose at her question. “So you knew about him.” It wasn’t a question. He’d known it would be impossible to keep anything from her. She liked digging up secrets.

Rebecca laughed and took Draco’s hand. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? Especially when Tammy keeps sniffing in disapproval? I knew something was up when she said she couldn’t answer my questions. Really, Dad, you should know better than trying to keep something from me. It just makes me even more curious.”

Draco sighed and led her to the couch. “In that case,” he murmured as he sat down beside her. “You might as well know that no one can know he’s here.”

“Why?” 

Draco looked at her sharply, looking to see if she was playing the ‘why’ game with him, but he only saw curiosity in her gray eyes. “Because he’s in trouble and we don’t want that trouble following him here.”

He watched as she thought about that for a few moments. “But, Father, the wards won’t allow them onto the grounds. You know that.”

“That doesn’t mean we want them to know he’s here, now does it?”

Rebecca frowned at that. “I guess not.” She turned to look at him fully. “So, who is he?”

“Harry Potter.” He bit his lip to keep from smiling at her reaction. Her eyes became really wide as she gaped at him.

“ _The_ Harry Potter?”

“Yes, just don’t refer to him like that, though,” Draco told her as he laughed while she practically bounced on the couch, taking hold of her hand when she went to jump up. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To meet him, of course. I’ve always wanted to see the man who made you so angry at school.” She frowned at him when what he’d said sunk in. “Why can’t I refer to him like that?”

“Because he doesn’t remember who he is. We need to give him time to remember on his own.”

“Really?” 

Draco nodded and watched as she thought of that for a few minutes. When she opened her mouth to ask another question, he held up a hand. “Enough for now, Rebecca. Besides, your godfather has deigned to spend a few days with us. “

He watched as her face lit up. “Really? I must go get ready for dinner,” she told him as she jumped up and ran out of the room without a backward glance. _Probably going to see if she can’t find Severus_ , Draco thought in amusement. 

_This should really be an interesting evening._


	6. Court

Chapter 6 – Court

Harry walked beside Draco as they made their way down the corridor towards the court room where Harry would be seeing his wife for the first time. He was a little nervous. Would she trigger any memories?

And if she did, could he handle it?

When they approached the room they were looking for, he noticed a woman standing there talking to three men and he frowned. He knew them… he just couldn’t place them. He slowed down as he tried to remember what it was about these people that made him uneasy.

Then the woman turned around to see who was coming and that’s when it hit him.

… _He stood beside Ginny as she lay on a bed, cradling their baby in her arms, smiling sweetly down at the child, two other children standing around the bed, looking at the ittle girl…_

… _He was arguing with Ginny, over something stupid she found fault in. Blaming him for everything that was happening…_

… _He stood between her and the children, her eyes flashing dangerously. She threw a spell at Harry, but he blocked it easily. “Leave and don’t come back, Ginny. This is it. I want a divorce, and you’ll never see the kids again.”_

“ _Just try and stop me from getting custody,” she growled dangerously. “Do you really think they’d give you the children with the type of work you do?” she laughed mockingly as she walked out the door…_

* * *

It took a few seconds before Draco realized that Harry had slowed down. “Harry?” he asked in surprise turning around to look at Harry. He frowned at Harry, who was looking at the floor, panting hard with a hand on the wall for support. Draco walked over to him, making sure to block the others’ view of what was happening.

“Breathe, Harry. Breathe,” he murmured softly as he reached out to touch Harry’s arm. “You can do this, just breathe. Remember where you are.”

“Is everything alright, Mr. Malfoy?” Mr. Westrum asked as he appeared beside them, raising an eyebrow at Harry’s state.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Harry just feels a little overwhelmed. We’ll be in shortly.”

The lawyer looked from Draco to Harry but didn’t comment. “I’ll be waiting inside. You have five minutes.”

Draco nodded and looked back up at Harry, who was finally breathing normally. “What happened?”

“Ginny tried to harm the children. I don’t think she has them,” Harry told him softly, making sure no one was overhearing their conversation, though it seemed Ginny and the others had already gone in.

“She doesn’t? Then where are they?” Draco asked in surprise. Just who did have the kids?

“I don’t know, but we have to find out for sure. We’ll have to get Mr. Westrum to ask to see the children, just to test her.”

Draco nodded thoughtfully. “Do you feel well enough to go in there?” he asked Harry, looking at him carefully. Usually the memories took a lot out of Harry. This one seemed not as bad as the others. Perhaps they were decreasing in intensity now?

“We don’t have a choice. If I don’t go in there, there’s no telling what will happen to my children. We’d better get in there before they come looking for us.” Harry told him as he pushed away from the wall and took a deep fortifying breath. “Let’s get this over with.”

They entered the court room and walked over to where Mr. Westrum sat at a table. “Are you feeling better, Mr. Potter?” the goblin asked as the men sat down beside him.

“Yes, thank you. How do you think this day will go?” Harry murmured politely, trying to appear calm, when his insides were clenching at the thought of what was about to happen.

“Today is only to establish the demands and begin negotiations, tomorrow will begin the character assassination. That will be where they will try to portray you as an unfit father and husband so your soon-to-be ex-wife can get as much out of you as possible. I hope you’re ready for what will happen, Mr. Potter, because it will not be pretty.”

“Can we put in a demand to see the children today or will it have to wait until tomorrow?” Draco asked, frowning thoughtfully.

“We can put in a request today if that’s what you want. We’ll have to wait and see what the judge says.”

“Yes, I’d like to see my kids as soon as possible,” Harry told him, before a door in the back opened and the judge walked in to sit at the judge’s bench and any further talk was prohibited.

* * *

Harry sighed tiredly as he rubbed his eyes, sitting back in his chair. Today had gone better than he’d thought. The judge had agreed with Harry that Ginny shouldn’t have access to his vaults. 

His keys had been given back to him. 

It hadn’t really shocked him, only confirmed what he’d gotten from today’s memories, when his lawyer had asked the judge if Harry could visit with his children. Ginny had promptly told the judge that Harry had them. Where were they if he didn’t have them?

Yes, where were they? That was the question he now had to ask himself. How was he going to find out? Where could he start? 

“Come on, Harry. Let’s go back to the Manor and see what we can do about tomorrow,” Draco murmured as he rose from his chair. Harry nodded and followed suit, wondering just how far they could strategize, considering he couldn’t really help with information that they’d need.

Though, he felt like he was missing something… important. “Sure. Let’s go.”

“Harry?” he heard from behind him. Turning around, he was surprised to see Ginny standing on the other side of the table from him. “Can we talk for a minute?” she asked, looking at Mr. Westrum, then at Draco. “Alone?”

“I think that’s a bad idea,” Draco told him when Harry hesitated briefly.

“I agree,” the lawyer said, frowning in disapproval. “We are in the process of a divorce here, Mrs. Potter. There is no room for private talks. That should have occurred before we reached this stage. Since there were no attempts from you or your lawyer, I must object to any privacy between the two of you from now on.”

“Harry,” Ginny murmured, smiling charmingly up at Harry. “What harm could it do to talk? Just the two of us?”

Harry frowned at her, wondering what she was up to. “Actually, I think I’ll listen to my lawyer on this. It’ll save us from accusations later.”

Draco bit his lip at the look of anger and frustration on Ginny’s face. So she _had_ been planning something. He wondered just what it was.

“Fine. I just wanted you to know that I want the kids. I want to see them. Bring them here tomorrow.”

“No. I don’t want them exposed to this. They’re better off not having to deal with what we’re going through. This way we can’t use them against each other,” Harry told her.

“I wouldn’t do that to them,” she said disdainfully, offended that he would even think such a thing.

“I didn’t say you would. I just said it would be too much of a temptation. These situations tend to bring out the worst in people. I don’t want to chance it.”

Draco could’ve applauded Harry’s quick thinking. This way, he didn’t have to admit to not having the children and didn’t require any proof of them being with Harry either. And he’d thought of it all by himself. This explained why Harry was such a good Auror. He let his instincts guide him. Without his memories, he could’ve easily allowed Ginny to lead him away and done whatever damage she could’ve, but he’d followed the advice of the lawyer instead.

“We’ll see about that,” she growled angrily before she turned around and stalked back to her group.

* * *

“You should tell her about it not working like it was supposed to,” Blaise murmured as they walked down the street.

Ginny turned on him. “Why so I can be tortured?” she hissed angrily.

“Whether it’s now or later, you know the outcome is going to be the same,” Blaise told her with an indifferent shrug.

“Just go back,” she growled, glaring at the amused look on his face. “I’ll be there later. There’s a stop I have to make.”

“So how long are you going to keep her on that potion? Pretty soon, it won’t matter that she knows your secret.”

“Mind your own business.”

* * *

A young woman sat with her head in her hands as an older man sat across from her. “I’m tired of you whining about Harry Potter, Miranda,” he said with an exasperated sigh. She didn’t have to look at him to see the resemblance to their father and even he would’ve told her the same thing… if he were still alive.

“I don’t like it either, but it’s been a month since he dropped his kids here in a hurry and swore he’d keep in contact. Only, I haven’t heard anything from him since, Long Feather, and it’s been a month! What parent doesn’t check in in that amount of time?” Miranda asked as she scrubbed at her face.

He pulled her hands down and waited for her to look at him before speaking again. “Go find him.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation. “You know the only way to get there is to fly, and you _also_ know I _hate_ to fly.”

She watched as the hated eyebrow rose at her words and he slid an envelope towards her.

Frowning, she picked it up and looked at him. Now what? Opening it up, she looked back at him in surprise. “What the hell’s this for?” she asked as she pulled out an airline ticket.

“ _Go find him_ ,” he told her forcefully as he rose from the table. “Grandfather and I can watch the kids and you can use the portal to come back.”

“Fine,” she muttered, glaring down at the ticket and realized she had an hour to get to the airport. “You little shit, you waited this long on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Of course,” he murmured as he went through the door with a laugh ignoring her glare.


	7. Rebecca

Chapter 7 – Rebecca

Harry roamed the manor, looking for something to do in this big home. He felt like he was imposing somehow. Why would he come to Draco for help instead of his friends? What _was_ between him and Draco? Ron had hinted that they were rivals. Why, then, go to someone he hated?

Realizing he’d been walking down a corridor he’d never been in, he decided to see just what was in the rooms lining the hallway. The first one opened up to a large empty room with pillars ringing the outer edge. He raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. Just what was this room for?

“That’s the ballroom,” a voice said behind him. Turning around, he looked down at a five-year-old little girl. She had to be Draco’s daughter. The resemblance was striking. He remembered seeing her the night before at supper, but she hadn’t really spoken to him all that much, though she’d been in a deep conversation with Snape.

“The ballroom?” he asked, looking back at the room. It made sense. “And who are you?” he asked as he closed the door.

“Rebecca. You’re Harry Potter,” she said. It wasn’t a question. “Can I help you with anything?” she asked, tilting her head to one side. He knew she was scrutinizing him, sizing him up.

“I’m just looking around. Care to be my guide?” he asked with a soft smile, wondering if his own children were just as engaging as this little one.

Rebecca shrugged and motioned for him to lead the way. “Sure. Would you care to lead?”

Harry bowed respectfully, if playfully to her and closed the door to the ballroom. “What’s in this next room?” he asked, gesturing to the door on the left side of the corridor.

“Solarium. Grand Mother used to sit in there, just looking at her gardens outside. Where are your kids, Mr. Potter?” Rebecca asked, her tone casual, as if she were asking how the weather outside was like.

“Please, call me Harry,” he told her as they continued down the corridor. “As for my kids,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’m not quite sure at the moment.”

Rebecca frowned as she looked up at him. “How can you not know where your kids are?” she asked, a look of confusion on her little face.

“Someone cast a spell on me to make me forget who I am and everything important in my life. I can only hope that Mr. Snape and your father can help me before it’s too late,” Harry told her, watching as she processed what he was saying.

“It’s professor Snape,” Rebecca corrected, almost like was doing without realizing it, making Harry’s lips twitch slightly as he tried not to laugh at her. “Is that why he’s here? To help you?”

“I hope he can. We’ll see. What about this room, then?” he asked to distract her.

“This is a guest room. Why don’t you try doing some research on the spell?” she asked, letting him know that his ploy hadn’t worked.

“How would I go about doing that? I can’t even figure out where I am in this house.”

Rebecca looked at him with a raised eyebrow, reminding Harry of Draco. “Down this hall, you go down the right hand corridor and you’re back in the main entrance. If you go down the left hand corridor, it’ll take you to the library. I’m sure you’ll find some useful books in there. Father has books on just about every type of spell you can think of. He said Grand Father was into some heavy magic, but he won’t say what kind. If that doesn’t work, three doors down from your room, there’s another library, though, I think Uncle Severus has already raided that one. If you still can’t find anything in that one, let me know and I’ll tell you where the other three libraries are.”

“There are that many libraries in this house?” Harry asked in surprise.

“My family has been collecting books for so long, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more libraries I haven’t found yet,” she told him with a shrug.

Five libraries or more? Just how big _was_ this house. Then a thought occurred to him and he looked down at Rebecca. “Would you like to help me? I’m sure with the two of us looking, we might be able to find something to help professor Snape get rid of this spell a lot quicker.”

Rebecca tilted her head to one side again, looking up at Harry as if to see if he was making fun of her. Her eyes lit up when she realized he was serious. “Are you sure?”

“Of course… unless you’re busy with something else.”

“Are you kidding? I was going a little stir crazy with boredom. Uncle Severus won’t let me help him, like he usually does. This would provide a great distraction and I can keep researching while you work on your divorce with Father and your lawyer,” she told him excitedly, stopping short of jumping with joy.

“Are you sure your father won’t mind if you help me out?” Harry asked with a slight frown. Though he liked the thought of some help, he didn’t want to make Draco mad at him by getting his daughter into trouble.

“Nah, it’ll keep me out of his hair and keep me occupied. He’ll probably be thankful.”

Harry laughed and gestured for her to lead the way to the library. “The sooner we start, the sooner we can be of some help with this,” he told her.

* * *

For the next three days, when Harry wasn’t in court, he was helping Rebecca with the search. He was making better progress with the library than in court. Mr. Westrum had been right about the character assassination. He’d never realized just how bad it could get.

He was beginning to wonder if some of the things being said about him were true. Was he really a glory hound? He’d seen all the clippings Ginny had provided the court that said he was. He’d seen the glint in her eyes when he’d read some of them. He couldn’t believe he’d go out of his way to make headlines so many times. It seemed that his whole life was in those clippings. What disturbed him the most was that Ginny had them all. Was she that obsessed with him? Did they really call him ‘The Boy Who Lived’? Who the hell had come up with that title, anyway?

But then some people had come into court and given testimony that Harry wasn’t like anything that was said in the clippings. They’d painted a different picture of a man trying hard to make a living after the war, to provide a normal life for his family. Even Ron had come forward and told the court that Harry had never wanted to be in the papers, that his entire life had been recorded by nosy reporters who couldn’t mind their own business.

He’d have to remember to ask Draco about this war they kept mentioning. Had it really been that bad?

Rebecca drew him out of his thoughts by plunking a book in front of him. “I found this. It seems promising.”

He leaned forward to read the few lines that were above a drawing. The picture seemed to tug at his memory and he felt very uncomfortable looking at it. “Let’s take it to Snape. I think we might have found what he needs.”

Rebecca nodded and put a piece of paper in the book to mark the page. “You take it up. I’ll keep looking for more.”

Harry nodded, picked up the book and walked out of the library to go in search of the Potions master.

* * *

“Yes, it does look like the tattoo you have on your back. And you say it makes you uneasy to look at?” Snape asked as he frowned down at the book.

“It’s almost like I’ve seen it before, but nothing wants to come up. Will this help?” He looked between Snape and Draco, hoping this would help him get rid of the thing they kept referring to as a tattoo. He was also hoping that the removal of the tattoo would mean that his memories would return faster, or maybe even completely.

“I’ll have to study this, but it looks promising. You say Rebecca found this?” the older man asked with a slight smile, looking up at Harry.

Harry shrugged and hoped he wouldn’t get the little girl in trouble. “She insisted, said she was bored and wanted something to do. Since I didn’t know where to start, I figured it wouldn’t hurt.”

Draco shook his head. “I told you, you can’t keep her out of this even if you tried. She’s determined to help you whether you want it or not.”

“She’s too much like her father,” Snape murmured with a raised eyebrow. “I think I’ll go see what else she’s found.”

Harry waited until Snape had left the room before he looked over at Draco. “Can I ask you a question?”

Draco looked at Harry before he poured himself a drink. “Sure. Want a drink?”

“No, thank you. What’s this war everyone keeps mentioning?” As he was sitting down, he missed Draco’s reaction to the question. 

“Are you sure you want to know this, Harry? It’s not a pleasant story,” Draco murmured as he tried to regain control of his reactions.

Harry frowned at Draco’s back, wondering just how bad it could be. “I’d like to know what it is I did that’s earned a title like ‘The Boy Who Lived’.”

“Fair enough,” Draco said with a shrug and sat down in the chair opposite Harry. “A few years ago, there was a wizard who decided that ruling the world would be a good idea. The only problem was a prophecy that was made before either of us were born.

“It said that a child would be born who’d be able to stop him. So he decided that he had to find this child and kill him. Unfortunately, your parents had just found out that they were going to have a child. According to what I found out a couple of years ago, the prophecy could have been one of two children born on the month that prophecy mentioned.

“This man decided that he had to pick one. Again, unfortunately, he chose you. He went after your parents and killed them, but when he tried to kill you, the spell backfired and he was killed instead… or so everyone believed. Well, maybe not everyone. A man named Dumbledore whisked you away to live with your aunt and uncle until you could begin school.

“I don’t know how life with your relatives was like, so I can’t tell you anything there, but when you began school, that’s when all the trouble began. The first year, you stopped Voldemort from coming back from the dead.

“Second year, you saved the whole school from a monster that Voldemort had brought out. Third year, I found out later, you saved your godfather from death. Fourth year, Voldemort was reborn thanks to a man who’d betrayed your parents to Voldemort. In sixth year, you started a club teaching some students how to defend themselves. Then your godfather was killed by one of Voldemort’s followers. In Seventh year you finally managed to kill the bastard, but not before he had killed a lot of people, including people you loved and cared for, but you also saved a lot of lives in the process.” 

Draco knew he’d omitted a lot of what had happened in those years, but then he didn’t think Harry would notice the difference. He just wanted to know what had happened for him to be in the papers as much as he’d been. He couldn’t blame him for wondering. Hell, for years, Draco had, himself, thought that Harry was a glory hound, looking for attention all the time. He understood the confusion he’d seen on Harry’s face when he’d read the clippings and heard some of his co-workers and friends talk about how Harry really was.

He’d been expecting Harry to ask him questions, just not this soon.

Harry looked thoughtful for a few minutes before he stood up. “Thank you for telling me, though I felt like a lot was being left out. May I ask you some more questions… at another time, of course?”

Draco nodded, relieved that he didn’t want clarifications now. “Of course.”

“Thanks.” Harry left Draco alone in his study.

>center>* * *

Miranda sighed as she looked out the window and down at the city under the plane as it made its way towards one of London’s airports. 

She would’ve rather taken her usual way of traveling, but without knowing where exactly she was going, it was impossible to tell where she would end up. And Long Feather was right, she was getting tired of worrying about Harry. It was time she did something to find him, and if nothing was wrong with him, she was going to kill him.

The captain’s voice came on over the intercom to announce that they were about to land and she closed her eyes in relief. It was almost over.

Gripping the arms of her seat she waited for the feel of pavement against the wheels which would indicate they were once more on solid ground. It took a few more minutes, but eventually, she felt the plane jerk as the tires touched down on the runway.

A few minutes more, and people were getting up and taking things down from the overhead compartments. She waited until the bulk of the passengers had left the plane to grab her backpack and left the plane herself.

Time to get through customs.

* * *

She sat on the bench across the street from what she remembered as the Dursley’s house an hour and a half later, watching what was going on at the house, not quite sure if they still lived there. She had bought a newspaper to read while she watched.

She smiled as a funnily dressed old woman walked passed for the fourth time since she’d camped on the bench. This time, though, the old lady stopped and looked at her. “Are you lost, dear?” she asked and Miranda frowned slightly as something tugged at her memory.

She remembered this woman, even if she didn’t remember her name. 

“I’m not sure. I’m looking for a friend of mine who used to live in that house when he was younger,” she said, pointing at the house she remembered the Dursleys living in.

“The Dursleys still live there, but Harry Potter hasn’t retuned since he came of age. You’re that little girl who used to come visiting him when he was younger, aren’t you?” the old lady asked, watching Miranda with knowing eyes.

“Yes. Are you the lady who lives next door to the Dursleys? I remember you giving us cookies and milk a couple of times when the Dursleys weren’t home,” Miranda said, smiling gently as she realized who this woman was.

Mrs. Biggs’ smile widened and she nodded. “Like I said, the Dursleys still live in that house, but be careful. They still have a sore spot when it comes to that boy.”

“I remember,” Miranda murmured as she put her paper away and got up. 

“Take care, dear, and tell Harry Mrs. Biggs said hello.”

“I will, Mrs. Biggs, and thanks for the help.” Miranda walked across the street towards Number Four. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

It took a couple of minutes, but then a walrus of a man opened the door. She bit back a smile as she recognized Vernon Dursley and it seemed he’d gained twice the weight he’d had when she was a child. “Yes? Can I help you?” he asked with a pleasant smile.

“Hello, Mr. Dursley. My name is Miranda Monroe. I was hoping you could help me,” she began, smiling just as pleasantly and hoping this didn’t dissolve into a scene. When he simply stared at her, waiting, she took a deep breath and continued on. “I was wondering if you’d seen your nephew, Harry Potter?”

The transformation was almost funny it was so quick. The man before her went from being polite to his face going red, and all at the mention of Harry’s name.

“Are you one of his freaky friends?” he growled, eyes narrowing in anger.

“Sorry?” she asked in surprise. She’d know her reception wouldn’t be the warmest, especially once he found out she was looking for Harry, but she hadn’t expected this much animosity from the man.

“I’ve told you people to not come back,” he told her, his face becoming even redder. “That freak doesn’t live here anymore and all I have to say is good _riddance_.”

“Mr. Dursley, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not a part of the Wizard-” she began when the man’s sputtering stopped her.

“I’ll not have you coming around spouting such nonsense around here! Leave!” he yelled before slamming the door in her face. _Well_ , she thought as she blinked at the door. _That went better than I expected. At least he didn’t try to hit me like before._

She had taken a few steps away from the door when it opened again. Miranda turned wearily to see if maybe she’d been wrong and he was going to come at her now. She blinked in surprise when she realized that it wasn’t Vernon coming out of the house, but Dudley… a very trim Dudley at that.

“Mrs. Monroe?” he asked hesitantly after he’d gently closed the door, looking back at the door like he was afraid it might open at any second.

“Yes?” she asked, wondering if she should run or stand her ground. She remembered how this man had been fond of beating up the weak when he was younger. Was he still like that now? “And it’s Miss.”

“I heard you’re looking for Harry?” he asked, looking at her with a desperate look on his face.

An eyebrow rose in surprise. “Yes,” she murmured, knowing he more than likely wouldn’t know where Harry was any more than his father would. “Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Dursley?”

“If you find him… could you tell him I’m looking for him? I really need to talk to him. I have some questions and some concerns. And I’d like to have him be a part of my kids’ lives, just like I’d like to be a part of his kids’ lives.”

Miranda’s eyebrows rose and she blinked at him in shock. _Well, it appeared Dudley had finally grown up and realized he’d been a total prick to Harry after all,_ she thought to herself, careful not to let it show on her face. “I’ll see what I can do, Mr. Dursley, but you know it might be a long shot, right? After all you didn’t exactly make his life enjoyable while he was here.”

“Yeah,” he said with a sheepish smile, rubbing at the back of his neck. “That’s part of what I need to talk to him about. I just want a chance to make things right.”

She frowned at him, before she realized he was actually being sincere. “Mr. Dursley,” she began before she reached for his arm. “Dudley, I’ll be sure to talk to Harry. It’s about your kids, isn’t it?” she asked taking a guess, seeing as he had been careful to make sure his father didn’t see or hear him come outside to talk to her.

He shot her a look of panic then one at the door. “Please,” he told her desperately. “I really need his help.”

“I understand. If he wants to contact you, how does he do it?” 

“Here’s my address and phone number. Thank you, Miss Monroe,” Dudley said as he handed her a piece of paper. She nodded to him as she began walking away. She needed to find somewhere secluded so she could create a portal to talk to her brother and grandfather.

* * *

“Are you sure about this? You know he’s not native to England and we don’t even know if he can find Harry in the first place,” Long Feather said, frowning at her.

Miranda rolled her eyes and sighed. “Just send Turul over. I can’t afford to stay here, and I know I can’t find him especially if he’s in the Wizarding world. I don’t know how to go about finding him there, and I don’t know where any of his friends live,” she said in exasperation.

Long Feather grinned at her but opened the portal wider so the eagle-hawk could fly through to her. “Are you coming back tonight?” he asked as the bird settled on the tree beside her.

“Yeah, I think I should. I don’t like what I’m picking up in the energy currents here. I’ll feel better once I’m home. I’ll set it up so I’ll get a signal as soon as Turul finds Harry.”

“Do you want me to keep the portal open for you?”

She frowned slightly. “No. I don’t think it’s safe here and I’m not sure how long it’ll take for me to set the spells on him. I’ll open one up when I’m ready to come home.”

“Alright, we’ll expect you here later.”

The bubble sank down onto the ground and she buried the water it left behind. She then turned to look at her bird. “Are you ready for this?” she asked him, caressing his head. She smiled when he simply blinked at her, flipping his wings back as he waited patiently for her to do her work.

Clearing her mind, she stepped back from the bird and began moving her hands in patterns, first laying the spell that would hold the small pool of water that would allow her to talk to Harry. The next one was the spell that would make it light enough not to interfere with his flight, but would also make it stick to his back. The last spell laid was to alert her once he’d found Harry.

Moving closer to Turul again, she caressed the bird’s chest feathers. “Fly swiftly, my friend,” she murmured softly. “Don’t get lost.”

The bird let out soft rumble deep in his chest at the unlikely thought of that happening.

She stepped back to let the bird take off and watched until she couldn’t see him anymore. “Be safe,” she whispered. 


	8. Removal, 1st Attempt

Chapter 8 – Removal, 1st attempt

“Is there any change in his memories?” a woman asked, her cloak hiding her face and body effectively from the gathering’s eyes. Before her knelt Ginny, Blaise, and a few others she didn’t care about.

“None. The Mark pulses every day, but it doesn’t relay anything that we want to know. Only old memories of his childhood for the most part,” Ginny murmured, keeping her eyes down on the floor, remembering the time when someone had actually dare to try to catch a glimpse at who this woman was. 

It still gave her nightmares.

She was just as callous as their Lord had been. Which was probably why he’d made her his before his demise.

“Have you tried the direct approach?” the woman asked, her tone dangerous. This was not going like she’d planned. Potter wasn’t supposed to get away. Potter was supposed to become one of them, not get help from _Malfoy_ , of all people. “It _has_ , after all, been two months since Blaise placed the Mark.”

“No, he won’t separate from his lawyer and Malfoy long enough for me to check on the Mark, My Lady,” Ginny said, tensing in case the woman retaliated from the news. The Cruciatus curse hit her after her statement.

Ginny screamed in pain as she writhed on the floor, the others moving away from her in case they received the same treatment. 

The woman watched dispassionately, anger coursing through her. She needed that child! Only Potter knew where he was. Which meant she needed Potter to find out where he was!

She ended the curse with an angry snarl. “Find. Me. That. _Child_!”

* * *

Harry frowned at Snape. “Are you sure this will work?”

Snape’s eyebrow rose. “There are no guarantees. The only way to know, is to try it and see. Are you chickening out, Potter?” he sneered.

Harry’s head snapped up to look at the old professor. “No, I just want to make sure this is going to work. Since even you don’t know what’s going to happen, it doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence,” he snapped. Was this how this man had treated him in school? No wonder he didn’t like him.

“Since this is a spell I’ve never come across before, it stands to reason that not many people would know how to remove it but the person who cast it in the first place. And since you don’t know who that is, all we have to go on is guess and tries. Are you still willing to let me try to remove it?”

“Just do it. The sooner we try this, the sooner I can get my memories back without worrying about what someone else is getting from me,” Harry said through gritted teeth as he knelt in the center of the room Snape had led him to, minus a shirt so they could see the Mark better and judge what the effects of the ritual would be.

Draco stood quietly on the other side of the room, waiting to see what would happen. Rebecca had wanted to see as well, but Snape and Draco had over rode her protests when she’d been denied entrance.

Draco knew she was standing on the other side of the magic work room, pouting, but refusing to leave completely. He felt bad about denying her, since she had done the majority of the research, but he also didn’t want her harmed.

With wand drawn, Snape began murmuring words in Latin that neither he nor Harry could make out.

At first there was no change, but suddenly Harry gasped and Snape frowned as intense heat began to radiate from the man kneeling on the floor. The incantation continued and Draco wondered if this was good.

Harry was shaking in reaction to whatever Snape was saying and the heat increased, making it almost oppressive in the small room. Draco could see the Mark begin to shimmer and tighten as it fought back, trying to remain where it was, like it was a living thing.

It looked like Snape was winning as the Mark started to fade at the edges. Suddenly, they felt a shift in the power rippling in the room. Harry screamed in pain and the Mark pulsed, it was the only way Draco could describe what happened. 

The pulse caught Snape off guard, throwing him back against the wall. Draco wanted to go to the old man, but forced himself to watch Harry. 

Harry’s eyes glowed red and he floated several inches off the floor as the Mark became an angry red and it pulsed again before it regained its original design, with a red outline and Harry fell forward in an unconscious heap.

Once Draco was sure everything was back to normal, he walked quickly over to Snape who was picking himself up off the floor. “What happened?”

“Apparently, whoever put that Mark on him put a protection spell as well. Whenever anyone tries to take it off, it’ll try to defend itself.”

“It almost acted like it was alive,” Draco murmured as he looked over at Harry. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. You might as well check on him. I doubt it’ll kill him, but you never know,” Snape murmured as he stretched, making sure he hadn’t sprained anything.

Draco walked carefully over to Harry, weary that the Mark might pulse again, and reached over to touch Harry’s neck, checking for a pulse. “He’s got a pulse, a little weak, but there. Should we attempt to remove it again? Or do you want to wait?”

“It might be better to wait until Potter has recovered from this assault before we try again. It’ll give me time to study what else they might have put in place to protect that Mark. Also, when I attempted to remove it, my own Mark reacted to the incantation. Perhaps it was both together that created the pulse,” Snape murmured as he walked closer to the two men, pulling back his sleeve to reveal his own Mark with a red outline.

Draco frowned down at the Mark. “You mean it’s like a Dark Mark?”

“Yes. Which means someone out there is trying to finish what he started.”

Draco stared at him in surprise. “We can’t let that happen, Severus. We barely survived what He did the last time. I don’t think the Wizarding world would survive another assault.”

“Exactly. I think the next time we attempt this, you’ll have to do the incantation. You never took the Mark so it might not react the same way. And it might actually work,” Snape told him, looking Draco in the eye. “And we might be able to remove this one as well. Depending on how Potter reacts to the removal.”

Draco looked down at Harry, wondering what this would mean. “How long before we attempt it again?”

“Give it a week. Potter will be recovered by then and it’ll give you enough time to learn the incantation correctly.”

Draco nodded and pulled out his wand, casting a lightening spell and picking Harry up. “I’ll put him to bed, then I’ll come find you to begin learning the incantation. Snape nodded and Draco Apparated away.


	9. Removal, 2nd Attempt

Chapter 9 – Removal, 2nd attempt

Draco sat in the chair beside Harry’s bed, head pounding with all the words he’d had to learn. He just hoped he’d remember the order when it came time to redoing the ritual. He just had to remember what was at stake, not just the safety of Rebecca and the Manor, not to mention Harry’s children, but the rest of the Wizarding world.

He did _not_ want to live through another war with a egomaniac wizard who wanted absolute power. He also didn’t want Rebecca to have to live through something like that either. For her sake, he’d have to help Harry get rid of this Mark. 

After today, he couldn’t really call it a tattoo. He shivered again as he remembered how it had reacted to Snape, shoving him back like it had with a pulse of power. Where had it gotten that power? Was it using Harry’s or had whoever had put it on Harry added power for it to use?

The thought was a little frightening.

He was brought out of his dark thoughts when a small hand came to rest on his lap. “How is he, Father?” Rebecca asked softly as she watched Harry’s pale face.

“I think he’ll be alright. He’s been through worse that this and survived,” Draco murmured as he covered her hand, squeezing reassuringly.

“Did it work?” she asked, looking over at her father, frowning at the way he’d phrased it.

“No,” he told her with a sigh. “But Severus was probably the wrong person to try it. We’ll try it again once Harry’s feeling better.”

“As long as it’s not right now, I’m game,” Harry murmured fuzzily from the bed.

“How long have you been awake?” Draco asked with a small smile at his answer.

“Not long. How long have I been out?” he asked as he pulled himself into a reclining position on the bed, biting back a hiss of pain as it jarred his head.

“A few hours. Snape says we can try it again in a few days,” Draco told him as he watched Harry’s reactions.

“We can’t try it again tomorrow?” he asked, hoping to get this over with as soon as possible.

Draco was silent for a few minutes, eyes narrowed as he looked at Harry’s exhausted face. “Harry, I won’t lie to you. If we try it before you’re recovered, it could kill you. It’s better if we let your body recover from what it went through today.”

Harry sighed in resignation. He couldn’t really argue with that. As much as he wanted the thing gone, he didn’t want to kill himself doing it. “You’re right,” he murmured, plucking at the blanket restlessly. 

“I understand your desire to have it removed, but we need to also exercise some patience as well. We’ll try again in a few days. This time should work.”

“What went wrong?” Harry asked curiously.

Draco hesitated, wondering how he could explain the Dark Mark that Snape had on his arm and how it might be the same thing on his back. “The spell reacted with the Mark 

Snape has on his arm,” he said with a sigh.

Harry frowned at that, watching Draco with sharp green eyes. “Mark? Is it the same thing as what’s on my back?”

“No. They’re different, but apparently they can both be used in the same manner. Yours is slightly different than his because of the intent behind it. His was more like a slave Mark, yours is more for blocking your memories.”

Harry frowned at that. For some odd reason, it actually made sense to him. “So what will make it different when we try again?”

“I’ll be doing the ritual this time. Since I never took the Mark, it won’t react to me in the same way. We’re hoping that will make the difference.”

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. “Let me know when Snape thinks we can try again.”

“I will.”

* * *

The week went by far too fast for Draco, but the time came for them to try again. The difference being that only Draco and Harry were in the room, to prevent Snape’s Mark from interfering with the spell.

Harry was in the same position as the first time, on his knees in the center of the room without a shirt.

“Ready whenever you are,” he murmured as the blonde stood behind him with a knife and his wand. 

Since he had to go at it a different way, Snape had suggested using the want to dispel the Mark at the end and the knife to make a small cut on the back of Harry’s shoulder to give the dark magic a way out of his body.

The ritual began the same way as it had with Snape, where he was murmuring too softly for Harry to catch what was being said. 

Again, at first there was no change, but suddenly Harry gasped and intense heat began to radiate from him. Harry was shaking in reaction to whatever Draco was saying and the heat increased, making it almost oppressive in the small room. Draco could see the Mark begin to shimmer and tighten as it fought back, trying to remain where it was, like it was a living thing.

This time, when Draco felt the shift in power rippling in the room, he was ready for it. Harry screamed in pain and the Mark pulsed and Draco pointed his wand at the Mark. “ _I desino alter munimentum insideo hinc haec_!”

The Mark reddened more as the protection around it seemed to pulse and break under the spell. That’s when Draco hit it with the second part. “ _I abrumpo hinc haec signum insideo coactu. Liberatio tui potior atqui abisto_!” Then he made a cut about two inches long above the Mark.

Harry’s eyes glowed red and he floated several inches off the floor as the Mark became an angry red and it pulsed again but without the protection, it continued to fade until it was gone, rising from Harry’s body with an angry howl and a black cloud of malice. Harry dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Draco held his breath for a minute and reached down to check on Harry. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the heartbeat under his fingers and quickly dispelled the protection around the room to allow Snape to enter. He knew the older man would feel the difference without him opening the door.

He didn’t have long to wait. Snape strode in, an eyebrow raised in silent question. “It worked,” Draco murmured as he straightened up to face his mentor. “You realize we might be able to use this ritual to rid you of that Mark, right?”

“That thought had occurred to me, but right now, we need to observe the effects on Potter.”

Draco nodded and lightened Harry so he carry him back to his room to rest. “Tomorrow will tell,” he murmured to Snape as he passed him.

* * *

Draco watched as Harry walked stiffly into the dining room and sat slowly down. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Sore,” Harry answered as he leaned slowly back into his chair. “I feel like I went ten rounds with Buckbeak.”

Draco’s eyebrow rose at the mention of the Hippogriff. “Have your memories returned?”

Harry looked up at Draco with a blank expression before he blinked and thought about it. “Not really, why?”

“Because Buckbeak was the Hippogriff you saved during our third year at school.”

Harry’s eyebrows rose at that. “Really? I don’t remember that, but I guess that means it’s a good sign, right?”

Just then Snape walked in with Rebecca. “Yes, that is a good sign,” the old Potions master said when he was told about remembering the Hippogriff. “It’ll take time for you to recover the amount of knowledge you lost with the imposition of the dark magic. I’m just wondering if they realized the Mark is gone.”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Draco murmured softly, eyes narrowed in thought.

“I don’t think so,” Rebecca said from between Harry and Draco. All three adults looked at her in surprise.

“And what makes you say that?” Snape asked, forgetting to sneer or make any other snide comments.

“Because Harry’s wife needed to get him away from Father and his lawyer. Why else would she try that? They were in a court room where everyone would see them. She didn’t have to try that unless they didn’t have complete control over the Mark,” Rebecca said with a shrug as she put jelly on her toast.

“How do you know that?” Harry asked her, curious about her deductions.

“I read it in one of the books I showed you. The Mark can go one of two ways, complete control or no control. I got the feeling from what you were saying that they might not have had enough time to complete the spell to place the Mark like they wanted before you left,” she said as she took a small bite of her toast. “That’s something else they didn’t expect: for you to be able to leave.”

“Are you sure you’re only five?” Harry asked with a look of respect for the little girl.

“Yes, but even Father admitted that I’m exceptionally smart for someone my age,” she said impishly, making them laugh.


	10. Unexpected Ally

Chapter 10 – Unexpected ally

Miranda bent down, helping a black Unicorn foal as it took its first steps, smiling gently at the little creature, murmuring encouraging words. James and Sirius were beside her, watching in awe as it tentatively walked forward.

“Are these really rare, Miranda?” James asked in a hushed tone as he reached out to pet the head of the little creature.

“The rarest ever,” Miranda told him as she helped steady the Unicorn. “They’re usually white, but every once in a while, a black one is born. In the old days, people said it meant changes were coming, whether good or bad.”

“And now?” Sirius asked, looking up at her in interest, his little mind soaking up what she was saying.

“Now,” she murmured with a smile for the little boy. “Now, they’re just born to amaze the young, I think.”

She looked up when she felt a strange tingle of magic on her shoulders and back that she associated with being called. “You boys go play. I have business to get to,” she told them as she ruffled their hair and left the foal to walk back to his mother, and walked away. 

Realizing she was forgetting the envelop Harry had given her in her house, propped up against her fridge, she walked into her kitchen and grabbed it up. She was almost out the door when she realized she’d forgotten something else. Turning around, she walked into her meditation room and picked up the ring she wanted to give Harry in case of an emergency. Stopping to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything else, she shoved the envelop in her back pocket before she headed to an area more isolated.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on pooling her magic with the water in the soil, ignoring her brother when she felt his presence behind her. When she felt she had enough water, she activated it to see just where Turul was. When she saw that he’d landed somewhere and Harry was sitting in front of her with another man coming up behind him she felt anger fill her. The little shit was alright? And he hadn’t checked in?

“Harry James Potter! Where in the _hell_ have you been?”

* * *

Draco frowned as he watched an unlikely bird lazily circle above the gardens where Harry was sitting in the sun a week after they had removed the mark. He was surprised to see it was an eagle-hawk. He’d never heard of such a bird living in England before. Where could it have come from?

As he made his way to the gardens, he noticed the bird wing down to rest on a nearby chair. That’s when he noticed the strange ball resting on its back. What kind of magic was this?

“Whose bird is that, Harry?” he asked, hoping more of his memories had surfaced.

Harry was eyeing the bird warily and shook his head, not daring to look away from the animal. “I’ve never seen this bird before in my life.”

Suddenly the ball lit up and a figure stretched out of it until it was roughly two feet tall. “Harry James Potter! Where the _hell_ have you been?” the woman demanded, hands on her hips, beside her stood a young man, who looked strange to Draco, with his long black hair and strange clothing.

“Sorry?” Harry asked, surprised to be addressed in such a manner. “Who _are_ you?”

“Who am I?” The woman was taken aback and blinked at Harry. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Um, perhaps I can help with that?” Draco said with a raised eyebrow and felt strange to be talking to what looked like a replica of a woman… a real woman. 

She turned her focus on him and he had the distinct feeling that she could see through him to his soul. “And just who are you?”

He felt himself bristle at her tone. He hadn’t done anything to warrant it, after all. Talking a deep breath, he managed to hold his temper. “I’m Draco Malfoy.”

He watched as an incredulous look came over her face. “Really?” She looked over at Harry in surprise. “What happened?”

He liked her efficiency. She didn’t spend time asking useless questions. “Harry was attacked a little while back and has lost his memories.” He tilted his head to one side when her gaze sharpened. “What do you know about it?”

“I think I’d rather talk about this in person. May I come through?”

Draco felt his eyebrows rise. “What do you mean ‘come through’?”

“It’s faster if I show you. I just thought you’d appreciate my asking instead of assuming.” Suddenly she looked away and they saw two small children run across her image. “James, Sirius, go find something else to chase. Tigger’s had enough for now,” she called after them before she turned back to look at Harry. 

Draco looked over at Harry, whose eyes were slightly glassy and was panting. “Longfeather, watch the portal for me. I don’t want the kids to come through just yet. It might not be safe. Sorry about this, Mr. Malfoy.”

That was the only warning he got. The ball on the eagle-hawk rolled off and landed on the ground beside the chair. Suddenly, it flared and the woman emerged through it as if it was a water puddle. She gasped, eyes closed, looking up toward the sky.

“I always hate doing that, but that’s the only way to go through,” she muttered as she looked down at Harry. She moved to go to him, but Harry jumped to his feet and backed away from her. “Harry?” 

Draco noticed she was moving as if she were confronted with a wounded animal and not a man: careful and slow, hands held up so he could see she held nothing in them. “You have to listen to me. I’m a friend,” she murmured softly as she slowly moved closer to Harry.

Harry was standing still, head tilted to one side, as if he were listening to something. Draco moved to stand closer to Harry, in case he needed help. The other man looked like he was going to bolt at any second.

What he did, though, Draco hadn’t anticipated. Harry suddenly faced the woman and moved his hands in an odd pattern and Draco realized too late that Harry was casting some kind of wandless magic. The spell hit the woman, sending her flying a few feet away. She landed on her back, causing the eagle-hawk to shriek in rage. It spread its wings and turned to look at Harry. “No, Turul. Stay.” The woman said, cradling her arm.

She looked over at Harry, who blinked at her, as if he were in a trance. She rolled back, crossing her legs as she came down and pushed herself to her feet. “Move back, Mr. Malfoy.”

Draco looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. 

She looked at him and he realized she was serious. “I know what I’m doing. Move back.” He moved back and watched as she shook out her hand, almost like she was shaking off some kind of numbness, and began advancing on Harry again, muttering something under her breath.

He could tell by the determined look on her face that Harry probably wouldn’t catch her so easily off guard again. He watched as Harry took a step back, his hands moving in another strange pattern, but then he noticed hers moving in the same pattern. _So, she knows what this is_ , he thought to himself as he watched two balls of energy collide between them.

He didn’t know how that was possible, but he watched as she moved closer to Harry, despite the battle of power going on. Two more times, their spells collided and then she was close enough to grab hold of Harry. “I’m not your enemy, Ba Wayn,” she murmured as she leaned closer to Harry. 

Draco felt a momentary stab of jealousy as he saw her pull him against her body and suppressed it. He had no reason to be jealous. Harry wasn’t his, after all… not yet anyway.

“Avali,” he heard her murmur in Harry’s ear and Draco watched as Harry returned to himself, relaxing in her hold. “Sae-an. Now, tell me what happened to you, Ba Wayn. How did you get to this point?”

Draco opened his mouth to answer her, but closed it when she shook her head at him, giving him a warning look. He was surprised when Harry answered her, but his tone was… strange.

“I… was attacked,” Harry murmured tonelessly.

“By who?”

“I don’t remember.” Harry stepped away from her and looked her in the eye. “They… ambushed me after I came back.” He frowned down at her. “I know you…” he murmured before his legs gave out under him. Draco rushed to help the woman as she hissed under Harry’s weight. “What happened?” he murmured, bringing a hand up to his head.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Draco demanded as he helped Harry to his chair and shot an angry look at the woman who sighed and dropped down on the chair opposite Harry, pushing her hair out of her face. “Just who are you?”

“My name is-”

“Miranda,” Harry finished for her, frowning at her. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. Do you remember me now?” she asked, sitting up in surprise.

Harry shook his head. “No, but I’ve been trying to place the name for a few weeks now.”

“How do you know Harry?” Draco demanded, crossing his arms and glaring down at Miranda.

She looked over at Draco with a raised eyebrow. “Sit down, Mr. Malfoy. Your hostility won’t do you any good. I know of you. Harry wrote about how infuriating you were when he was at Hogwarts, but do try not to be more of an ass than you can help.”

Draco stiffened in anger, but sat down anyway.

“Harry and I know each other from when we were kids, even before he went to Hogwarts. It seems we found each other because of our… abilities. What you saw him do, I taught him. It was one way to keep his magic under his control so he wouldn’t get into too much trouble with his uncle… at least at first. Then we just did it because we were having fun with it.

“Every summer, I would come to England and we would pick up where we’d left off. As time grew, so did his problems. He just didn’t talk as much as before. Then I stopped coming during the summers. My family here had been killed the year Voldemort came back and I had no way to visit with Harry. But we found a way to keep in touch anyway… through letters and the energy ball that was on Turul.

“A few months ago, Harry came to see me with a request. He wanted me to hide his children from his wife and her friends, but he didn’t say much about it when he brought the children over.”

“And just where are they?” Draco asked, frowning at the complexity of Harry’s plan.

“Obviously, I can’t tell you where they are, since Harry wanted them out of harm’s way. When I leave, there will be no way to trace where I’m from, since the magic I use is different from yours, as you saw when Harry and I exchanged shots,” Miranda said, gesturing towards where Harry and she had been dueling.

“Did I say why I didn’t want Ginny to have the children?” Harry asked suddenly.

She looked over at Harry and hesitated for a few seconds, frowning at him. “Are you sure you don’t remember this, Harry?”

Harry shook his head, flushing a little at her look. “All I get right now is flashes of battles and pain. Sometimes I get glimpses of people or names, but with no way to put them into context. It’s very frustrating.”

“I can imagine,” Miranda murmured, looking down at her hands. “Harry…” she murmured, frowning suddenly and looked up at the two men. “When you brought me the kids, you asked me to keep something else for you. Do you remember?”

Draco leaned forward in sudden interest. Harry shook his head, frowning in thought. “What was it?”

She hesitated, looking from Harry to Draco and back again. “You had something on your wife you didn’t want her to get her hands on, at any cost. You said it was very damaging.”

“What was it? Do you have it with you?” Draco asked eagerly.

Miranda was looking at Harry, ignoring Draco completely. She tilted her head to one side as she looked at him. He sat looking at his hands, lost in thoughts, a sad look on his face. She rose and went to kneel in front of him. “Harry? Do you want to go spend some time with your children?” she asked softly.

He looked up at her, startled. “Should I? Won’t Ginny realize where they are?” 

She could see the hope in his eyes and smiled at him. “No one will notice, Ba Wayn,” she told him and stood up, tugging on his hands to pull him to his feet. 

Draco was about to protest, but she shot him a warning look over Harry’s shoulder and he settled for fuming instead. He watched as she led Harry to the… portal. It was the only way to describe what he thought it was. It rose up to envelop him and he was sucked down into it.

Miranda turned to look at Draco and pulled out a package from her back pocket. “I didn’t think he should see these just yet,” she told him as she handed it to Draco. “But you seem to genuinely like him and wouldn’t hurt him intentionally.”

Draco’s eyebrows rose at her words and took the package from her. Opening it up, he felt his eyebrows rise even further up into his hairline. The pictures in the package showed Ginny at some meetings, going over plans that were convoluted at best. Others showed Ginny in bed with another man that clearly _wasn’t_ Harry… and Draco gasped as he saw a familiar symbol on Ginny’s arm, one he’d thought he’d never see again. The Dark Mark!

He looked up at Miranda, who was watching him closely. “Let me know if you lose these. I made copies, just in case. Harry didn’t tell me if they were important, but with the way he pushed them at me when he dropped off the kids and told me to keep them safe, I assumed they were.”

Draco smiled at her for the first time. “Yes, this will go a long way towards helping Harry in the divorce.”

Miranda’s eyebrows rose. “So, he _did_ start those, then.”

“Why don’t we walk for a bit,” Draco murmured, gesturing towards the path around them. Miranda nodded pleasantly and followed beside him as he strolled slowly forward. “Tell me, what were those words you used on Harry?” he asked curiously, giving the pictures to Tammy, who was waiting to one side for any order. “Put those in my study, please.” Miranda frowned at the house-elf but didn’t say anything.

“Oh, that,” she murmured with a gentle smile. “When Harry and I were younger, we kind of made up our own language so no one would realize that we were talking about magic. So key words were changed into something only we knew. Like magic became Teis. Ba means my and Wayn means friend, um,” she frowned, trying to remember what else she’d said.

“Avali?” Draco asked, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She was a beautiful woman, with her thick dirty blonde hair falling loosely down her back. He was surprised at how strange she looked… like the other man had, but with a slight difference.

“Means relax and Sae-an means good… I think that’s all the words I used today. What are you expecting from Harry, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked bluntly as she walked beside him, looking around at the various flowers Narcissa had planted here.

“Expecting? Nothing he doesn’t want to give.” It took him a couple steps more to realize she wasn’t following anymore. Turning to look at her, he saw one eyebrow had gone up and she’d put her hands in her back pockets. “And please, call me Draco. Mr. Malfoy reminds me of my father.”

Her look told him she didn’t believe his intentions towards Harry. 

He sighed in annoyance. “Yes, I’d like for there to be more. No, I won’t push him further than he wants to go. Right now he’s going through a divorce and trying to remember everything. His magic is unpredictable and he has some rather wicked nightmares. I think if I were to push him, he’d crack under all that pressure.”

“You’re right. There’s only so much the human mind can handle and process, which is why I didn’t think he’d attack me like he did. I’m surprised at the way he did it, though,” she murmured as she started walking again.

“How so?”

“Well, he hasn’t done those moves in years.” She shrugged slightly as she looked down at her feet. “I’m surprised that he even remembered them. It’s also a good thing he didn’t remember that first move as accurately as he should have. I only got a mild blast instead of the full blast.” 

“Really? I’ve never seen them before.”

Miranda smiled and Draco was surprised at how much it transformed her from beautiful to radiant. “My grandmother taught them to me when I was three or four. The funny thing is, if she hadn’t passed away, I never would have been sent here to England and met Harry.”

“How _did_ you meet?” This was a part of Harry’s life he’d never heard of. Of course, he didn’t know _any_ thing about Harry’s life as a child.

“I was being bullied by some kids and Harry wasn’t far away. Actually, I think one of them was his cousin,” she murmured with a frown. “I guess Harry wasn’t having it and joined in. I thought for a minute the bigger kid would beat the snot of him, so I hit him with a power ball, like the one Harry hit me with. The big kid turned pale and wet himself. They all ran away.”

Draco smiled at that, hoping the big kid _had_ been Harry’s cousin. “I see even then he was a Savior,” he murmured wryly.

“Yes, he’s always had a good sense of fair play. Well, when he saw what I could do, he asked me what I’d done. I was surprised he didn’t know how to do that yet and actually thought he was joking at first. When I realized he was serious, I decided to show him that move. That’s how we became friends. When his uncle and aunt decided to meddle, we hid the fact that we were friends and I taught him more things.”

“And he really still remembers it. I’m surprised.” Then a thought occurred to him. “If Harry knew how to do those, why is it that he didn’t know he was a wizard when he was first introduced to the wizarding world?”

“Because what I do isn’t the same kind of magic you guys do. I do elemental magic and when Harry and I were growing up, we didn’t call it magic.” She looked over at him, trying to see if he understood what she meant. “By the way, tell Harry that James was having nightmares after he dropped them off. I had to let him sleep with Long Feathers for a while before he stopped having them.”

Draco frowned at that, wondering just what Ginny had done to the child to cause that reaction. “Let’s go back. Harry should come back before someone realizes he’s not in England anymore. Where is he, anyway?”

Miranda laughed and turned to head back towards her bird. “You know very well I can’t tell you that. Maybe when all this is over, but not right now. I hope you can be good for Harry, Draco. He needs that in his life. I thought he’d have that with his wife… but then he didn’t tell her about me and I began to suspect that maybe deep down, he didn’t trust her like he should.”

“I guess he knew, even then, that something wasn’t right,” Draco murmured, frowning in thought. When they neared the sitting area, Harry was already there, eyes bright and alive… more alive than Draco had seen in a long time.

He turned fully to face them and smiled. Moving towards Miranda and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you, Miranda. I needed that.”

Miranda returned the hug, smiling in contentment. “I’m glad, Harry. I was beginning to worry about you when you didn’t check in like you said you would.”

He pulled back to look at her. “You need to go back, don’t you?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.

“Yes, Harry. I do and you know it as well as I.” She stepped back and looked at him with a sad smile. “Here,” she murmured, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a ring and putting it on his finger. “Use this to contact me when you need me or if I can bring your kids back to you.” She walked over to stand beside her bird. “When I leave, just bury the pool. It’ll turn to water and be absorbed by the earth,” she told them as the pool lengthened upwards and the bird flew through to the other side.

Stepping over to the pool, they watched as it enveloped her and sucked her down into it. When it was done, Draco walked over and buried the water puddle like she’d told them to do.

“How was your visit?” he asked as he turned to face Harry.

“Relaxing. I can’t believe I ever forgot them. I have to fight Ginny harder. James told me what Ginny wanted to do to him. He’s afraid of her.”

“Miranda mentioned that he was having nightmares after you dropped them off. Do you remember where they are?” Draco asked, frowning in thought. If Ginny and the others figured out where those kids were, there’d be no stopping her with her plans.

“Actually, no. I couldn’t tell where we were. Just that there was lots of trees. They could be anywhere, for all I know. I’m glad she contacted us, this way it gives me something to fight for.”

“Good. Now we need to plan our next move. Mr. Westrum will be here after lunch to go over some details about tomorrow.” _And I need to give him those pictures_ , Draco added to himself.


	11. Returned

Chapter 11 – Returned

Harry and Draco sat on one side of the court room, listening to the droning sound of Ginny’s lawyer talking about how Harry was being unreasonable about not letting Ginny visit with her children. “She is, after all, their mother,” the lawyer said in a reasonable tone of voice.

“Actually,” Mr. Westrum murmured when it looked like the judge was about to agree with Ginny’s lawyer. “Some new information has come to light that I think should be considered.” With a quick gesture of his wand, the goblin sent the file that had been resting on the table in front of him up to the judge’s podium.

“And just what is that?” Ginny’s lawyer demanded with a frown, “some kind of trick to discredit my client?”

“In point of fact, it has been your client who has been trying to discredit mine. This information comes from a party that is uninterested with the outcome of this divorce. The person sent this to Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy anonymously. I was simply waiting for the proper time to give it to the judge.”

Harry watched the judge’s reaction when she opened the file, while Draco watched as Ginny frowned and leaned over to speak to Blaise, who shook his head.

 _This is going to be worth watching,_ Draco thought, keeping his face carefully bored.

“This court will recess for a few minutes. Please remain in the room,” the judge said before she rose to her feet and left.

Harry brought his hand up, pretending to rub at his face to hide his reaction. “How long do you think it’ll take before something happens?” Harry whispered under his hand. Draco only shook his head, watching the other side of the room where Ginny was in a heated whispered argument with her group.

Suddenly, the doors flew open and a group of Aurors strode in. “Mrs. Potter, we require you and your friends to follow us,” the lead Auror said.

“What’s the meaning of this? I’m in the middle of a divorce here,” Ginny demanded shrilly as one of the Aurors helped her to her feet while the others arranged themselves around the others. “Did he put you up to this?”

“Mr. Potter has not spoken to us in several weeks. Not since he took his leave of absence. Why? Should he?” the lead Auror asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ginny ground her teeth together, glaring at Harry’s side of the room. Someone would pay for this!

Harry eyebrows rose when he heard the Auror’s words. “Is that what I do for a living?” he whispered to Draco, too surprised to react to Ginny’s look. “That’s what an Auror is?” Draco nodded, watching the group being led away, frowning in thought. “They should have remembered that when they went after you.”

Just then the Judge re-entered the room with a grim look on her face. “Mr. Potter, due to the circumstances, I’m sure it’s safe to assume that you have your divorce as well as sole custody of all three of your children. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Your Honour,” Harry murmured with a slight inclination of his head. He hadn’t wanted it to end like this. His memories were returning daily and he remembered how he and Ginny had once been happy. What had happened to them to get to this point? And why hadn’t he noticed sooner? He didn’t regret having children, but they should never have been placed in this situation. What was he going to tell them when they asked where their mother was?

He could just see how well that conversation would go. _Sorry kids. You’re mother went a little psycho and had to be sent to Azkaban for her actions._ No he didn’t think that would go well.

“Let’s get back to your place so we can discuss what to do,” Harry told Draco. “Thank you for your services, Mr. Westrum. I really appreciate your help with this matter.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Potter.” With that, Harry and Draco made their way out of the court room. 

They found Ron pacing outside in the corridor. When he saw them, he came forward haltingly. “Harry, is it true what I heard?”

“I don’t know, Ron. What did you hear?” Harry asked, frowning at his best friend. Was he a part of everything that had happened to him?

“Is Ginny really a… a Death Eater?” he asked, the last two words came out whispered, almost like he was afraid to say it too loudly.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the Aurors who took her and her friends away. I’m not part of that investigation. I have to go, Ron. I have to get my children.” He nodded for Draco to move ahead of him.

“Does this mean you know where they are?” Ron asked in surprise, frowning in thought as he grabbed hold of Harry’s arm when he went to pass him. “I thought Ginny had them.”

“Actually, neither one of us had them, but they’re safe. Ron, can we talk about this some other time. I really have to go,” Harry said with an exasperated sigh.

“Sure. Sorry. Can I come visit them soon?”

“We’ll see. I’ll talk to you later, Ron. How about you come over to the Manor tomorrow for lunch? We can throw a small party for the kids?” Harry asked as he looked over at Draco to see if it was alright with him. Draco was frowning at the thought of a Weasley being on Manor grounds, but remembered that Ron was Harry’s best friend, and if he wanted something more than the friendship they were currently having right now, he’d probably have to put up with this irritating man, so he nodded curtly.

“Tomorrow then, Harry,” Ron said with a smile of relief. “I really missed them, you know. If Hermione hadn’t died in the war, I imagine I’d have my own to take care of right now.”

“Tomorrow,” Harry said with a small smile, waving as he walked away.

* * *

Once at the Manor, Harry heaved a sigh of relief. Now perhaps he could bring his children home. “Do you think I should contact Miranda today or wait until tomorrow?” he asked with a frown, looking down at the ring Miranda had given him.

“You might as well contact Miranda tonight, if she thinks it’s too late where she is, then she can bring them by tomorrow morning and we can make a little party to celebrate their coming home,” Draco murmured as he handed his cloak to the house-elf that was waiting by the door.

Harry nodded and walked down the corridor. Draco frowned and wondered if he should go with him. “The gardens may be the best place to call her. If she’s going to send the children through, you’ll at least have room.”

“Thanks, Draco,” Harry murmured as he looked back over his shoulder, smiling back at the other man. “For everything.”

Draco nodded, unsure what to say. Well, actually he knew what he wanted to say, he just didn’t think Harry was ready to hear it at the moment. “Just let me know what’s going on so I can tell the house-elves how many people will be at supper.”

“I will.”

In the garden, Harry stared at the ring on his finger, trying to remember how to activate it. Had Miranda even said how to use it? He couldn’t remember. Ah, yes.

He held it to his mouth. “Miranda.”

The ring began to glow slightly after a minute or two and, just like the pool of water, it rose up about four inches high, revealing Miranda’s head and shoulders. “Harry? Is anything wrong?” she asked in concern.

* * *

Miranda was working late. She’d made sure the kids were asleep before she’d headed back out to the barn where a sick Pegasus needed attention. At the moment, he was resting comfortably, his breathing aided by the steam she’d set up in the room around him. She hoped it worked, especially since not many of them got pneumonia and she’d had to come up with something quick before they lost him.

_Miranda._

She stopped just inside the door, frowning as she heard the call. It sounded like Harry’s voice. Walking over to a stand with a bowl of water, she concentrated on Harry’s ring, hoping it wasn’t a trick. When she saw his face and shoulders appear in the pool, she looked at him in concern. Was everything alright? Was he still in trouble? “Harry? Is anything wrong?” she asked in concern.

“Actually, everything’s alright. Ginny and her gang have been arrested. I was wondering if you could bring the children home,” Harry said with a relaxed smile.

Miranda frowned at the words. “You mean your house? Or Malfoy Manor?”

* * *

Now it was Harry’s turn to frown. When had he come to call the Manor his home? Miranda was right. This was Draco’s home, not his. He just felt so comfortable here, like he belonged here. “The Manor. I’m going to stay here for a few days longer, to let everything settle down. I don’t think the children need to be faced with reporters just now.”

“At the moment, they’re sleeping. It’s very early here. What time is it there?”

“Not quite suppertime,” Harry said, confused. Just where was Miranda?

“Should I wake them up or do you want me to wait a few hours?” she asked, looking away from Harry, towards, Harry assumed, where the kids were sleeping. “Or should I wait until it’s early in England and late here? They can always take a nap there, but they’d be too wired to go to sleep in a few hours. Let’s say around eight in the morning, my time?” Harry was torn. On one hand, he wanted his children with him as soon as possible, but on the other, he didn’t want to wake them up just for that. “We may as well wait,” he told her with a shrug. “Let me know before you bring them over, so I can stand outside when they come through.”

“I will. And Harry?” she said with a relieved smile. “Congratulations on your divorce.”

“Thank you. Good night, Miranda. See you in the morning.”

“Good night.”

With that, her image sank back into the ring and Harry stared up at the sky, felling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Ginny would never hurt the children. They were safe. He smiled in contentment and turned back to the Manor.

Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

* * *

“They’ll be here tomorrow morning,” Harry told Draco as he walked into the sitting room where he, Rebecca and Snape were waiting.

“Why not now?” Rebecca asked, frowning in disappointment as she watched Harry.

“Miranda said they were sleeping, that it was too early where they are,” Harry told her.

Draco’s eyebrows rose and he looked over at Snape, whose eyes were narrowed in thought. “That means they’re in North America, then,” Snape murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “I’d be interested to meet this woman.”

“Why do you say that?” Harry asked with a slight frown. North America was a long ways away. No one could travel that far, even through a portal… could they?

“Because she intrigues me,” Snape said, misunderstanding the question… perhaps even on purpose? Draco wondered, hiding a smile by taking a sip of his drink.

“Actually, I was wondering why you think they’re in America, but that’s also a good question. Why would Miranda intrigue you?” Harry asked, feeling slightly protective of his friend.

Snape’s eyebrow rose and he snorted. “Because, Mr. Potter, it’s still fairly early here, but it’s very early where she is. It’s a wooded area, and America has some dense forest areas, especially in Canada, where not everything has been cut down and settled. It would make sense, especially since your ex-wife couldn’t find the children anywhere on this continent. As for this woman… the very fact that she seems to confound your ex-wife and her cronies is enough to make anyone curious as to what she can do and who she is. Perhaps it was wise of you to have a friend far enough removed from all the happenings here in England.”

It was Harry’s turn to raise his eyebrows. A compliment? From this man? “Thank you… I think.”

Draco chuckled and put his drink down. “Supper is ready, gentlemen and lady,” he murmured, holding his hand out to Rebecca, who took it, head held high.

* * *

The next morning Miranda groaned as she felt someone tugging on her arm insistently. Opening up one eye, she looked blearily at Sirius. “What is it, sweety?” she asked groggily.

“Long Feathers says he needs you in the stables.”

Groaning again, Miranda forced herself to move, though her limbs seemed heavier than usual. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

She watched as he shook his head and stood up. “I’ll give you guys something to snack on, but you’re going home today and can have something more there.”

She smiled as the little face lit up. “Really? We’re going to see Dad?” When she nodded, he jumped up and down, yelling in happiness before he took off to tell James the news. She laughed as she heard a cheer from their bedroom and changed her clothes before glancing at the clock. Already seven thirty?

She’d have to make this fast. She walked into the kitchen and snagged a couple of energy bars and a handful of Cheerios for Lily. The boys came out carrying the little girl and she had to laugh as she noticed her shirt had been put on backwards. “Hold these, please,” she murmured to Sirius, holding out the bars and the small baggie of cereal before she took the shirt partially off Lily, whirled it gently around and put her arms back through. “There you go, sweetheart.” 

Picking her up, she laid a soft kiss on her forehead before taking the cereal back. “One’s for you and the other one’s for James.” She watched as Sirius handed one to James before heading out the door. “Let’s go see what Longfeathers wants, hm?” She handed a couple of Cheerios to the little girl, who munched on them happily.

Her brother met her at the door, a grim look on his face. “It’s not good,” he told her as she neared and she walked hesitantly in, wondering what she would find. The sight that greeted her made her knees slightly weak as she saw the Pegasus prancing around. “It looks like Nicademus’ going to live,” he told her mischievously.

“You little shit,” she growled as she punched his shoulder. “You had me thinking he was dead.” She walked over to the animal as he came to a stop in front of her.

_Don’t be too hard on him. I told him to do it,_ the Pegasus told her with a whinny as he tossed his head. Their version of laughter, she knew as her eyebrow rose.

“It’s still mean,” she told him as she reached out and rubbed his forehead, laughing when Lily reached out and patted Nicademus on the forehead. “I’m glad it worked.” He snorted and closed his eyes, liking the feel of her hand on him. _Be careful when you leave. I sense danger around you and the children,_ he told her as he looked up at her.

“I know. I feel it, too,” she murmured softly. “I have to get the children ready to go home. I’ll see you again when I return.” When she got to the door, she turned to look at the Pegasus. “Oh, and Nicademus, remember to stay away from the creek this time.”

_Oh, ha, ha,_ he muttered back at her, though the glint in his eyes told her he knew she was teasing and she laughed as she left the barn.

“Alright, boys. Pack up the things you have here and let’s get ready to go home.” She laughed as the boys whooped happily and ran for the house to pack. She hoped they remembered the toys everyone had given them. She’d even gone and bought them some clothes, since Harry had been too busy to pack anything before he’d dropped them off. She followed behind them to pack Lily’s things. 

She smiled as her grandfather walked up to her, then she noticed his frown. “Grandfather? Is something wrong?” She knew that he saw things sometimes, usually when it was bad… real bad. She knew by the currents around the boys that whatever Harry was into hadn’t been resolved, but she didn’t think it was _that_ bad.

“The ancestors contacted me last night, showed me a few things that could happen if certain paths are taken. Has Harry contacted you lately?” Grandfather asked as he walked with her.

“As a matter of fact, he did, when I was done with Nicademus in the barn. What’s wrong, Grandfather?” she asked, stopping to face the elder man.

He frowned at her directness, but everyone knew she didn’t like to make small talk unless it was needed. “The danger hasn’t passed in England, yet, and I’m afraid that if they go back, things will get worse. Be careful when you go there. They don’t realize what’s coming. That not all the sickness has been eliminated.”

Miranda frowned and shifted Lily’s weight to her other hip. “Should I warn them?”

“It’s hard to say. They don’t know our ways and I don’t think they’ll take you seriously if you tell them it’s not over. Harry’s rushing into things because he misses his family. But if they do take you seriously, things might not progress to what they’re supposed to be.” Grandfather sighed and shook his head, knowing he wasn’t making sense. “Be careful.”

She laid a gentle hand on his arm and smiled lovingly at him. “You know me, I’m always careful since Neil.”

He smiled at her and patted her hand. “I know. Call us if you need help.”

“I will,” she murmured softly. Hesitating a little, she leaned over and gave him a hug before she continued towards her house to pack Lily’s things.

"Do you want to eat breakfast now or wait until you get to your father's?" she called out to the boys when she got to the kitchen.

"Wait!" the boys called out before they rushed to join her.

When everyone was ready, Miranda led them behind the house where she concentrated on the small lake there. Sometimes it was nice to live near a body of water. It made this part of her job easier. A small ball of water rose into the air until it hovered at head height as Long Feather came to stand behind her, in case she needed him. “Harry?” she whispered, knowing he’d hear her.

* * *

The next morning found Harry pacing the gardens, waiting impatiently for Miranda to contact him. “Harry!” Someone called from behind him. Turning around, he waved to Ron when he realized who it was.

“Harry?” This time, the voice came from his hand. Raising it up, he saw Miranda’s head and shoulders again. “Put the ring on the ground. I’ll use it to bring your children through,” she said with a smile.

Harry nodded and placed the ring on the ground just as Ron got closer. “What’cha doing, Mate?”

“Getting my kids back,” Harry said, not looking over at his friend, but staring intently at the ring.

“How’s a ring going to do that?” Ron asked, tone clearly saying he thought Harry had lost it.

“Just watch, Weasley, and try to pay attention,” Draco drawled from beside them. Harry looked over and noticed that Snape and Rebecca were with him.

Ron frowned at Draco, but bit his lip, not wanting to start a fight with Harry’s kids coming back. He looked back at the ring and gasped, eyes going wide as the top of the ring expanded upwards and James came running through. He ran straight to Harry, who hugged him close. He was soon joined by Sirius.

Harry looked up, smiling at Miranda, who carried Lily in her arms, smiling gently down at the boys. “Thank you,” he murmured, extracting himself from his oldest to go over to claim Lily, who cooed up at Harry.

“You’re welcome,” Miranda murmured as she looked at the others. “Draco,” she greeted with a nod, eyes landing on Ron with a raised eyebrow. “Wow.” Ron frowned at her. “What?” he demanded, brushing a hand through his hair.

“Nothing. It’s just that I didn’t think I’d ever see hair that color on a man.” Snape smirked as the red-head turned as red as his hair, though they couldn’t tell if it was in anger or embarrassment. “And with a temper to match?” she asked with a frown. “At least, that’s what Harry said in his letters. You must be Ronald Weasley.”

“Yes, it is. This is my daughter, Rebecca,” Draco murmured, diverting the words Ron clearly wanted to say. At least someone else was on the receiving end of her words, he thought with a smug smile.

“Hello, Rebecca. How are you?” Miranda asked politely, holding her hand out to the little girl.

“Very well, thank you. Harry said you were pretty,” Rebecca said shyly as she shook Miranda’s hand, who laughed in surprise at the little girl’s words.

“Well, thank you. You’re very pretty as well,” she told her before she turned to look curiously at Snape. “My name’s Miranda,” she said as she held out her hand to shake his. She smiled and raised an eyebrow when he didn’t shake it. “I won’t bite, you know,” she teased.

That seemed to bring Snape back to his sense and he blinked once before shaking her hand. “Severus Snape.”

“Snape?” She looked over at Harry in surprise. “This isn’t…” she asked, pointing at Snape, but looking at Harry, who nodded with a smile.

“Be nice, Miranda. Both he and Draco have helped me immensely.”

That seemed to surprise her even more and she turned to look at Snape. “Really? Well, then, thank you for helping your least favorite student, Professor,” Miranda murmured with an amused smile. Her smile grew when Snape’s eyebrow rose at that. So she knew who he was, did she?

She turned her attention back to Draco. “I hope you have something to eat. I figured the kids could wait for food until they got back to Harry.”

Draco bowed slightly, and motioned behind him where the house-elves were setting up some tables. “I figured they would be. Would you care to join us?”

Miranda frowned and looked back at the ring. “Yes, I think I will. Just give me a minute.” They watched her walk back towards the ring and pick it up. “Long Feather, I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I just want to make sure the children are settled before I leave.”

“Sure,” the man they could see in the ring drawled, a knowing glint in his eyes before flicking behind her. “Take your time. I’ll take care of things for a while.”

“You are such a brat,” she muttered, frowning darkly before the image sank back into the ring, laughter floating back to her. She turned to find Snape standing behind her, looking at the ring in her hand. “My older brother thinks he knows what’s best for me,” she explained with a disgusted sigh.

Snape’s eyebrow rose at that and he watched as she straightened up. “What kind of magic is that?”

“Elemental, actually. Funny, Draco asked me the same question. So how are you handling being around Harry?” she asked in amusement.

Snape sneered as he looked over at the man in question, who was leading his brood over to the table with the food as they recounted their adventures with Miranda. “He isn’t as insufferable as he was as a teenager,” he admitted when it looked like she was waiting for an answer.

She laughed gently at that admission. “I’m sure that’s true. Shall we join them, Professor Snape?”

“Please call me Severus,” he murmured, trying to look at her without making it obvious. She really was a beautiful woman. “And I’d actually like to ask you some questions before we join them.”

“What would you like to know?” she asked, a little weary.

“What do you do for a living?” he asked as he motioned for her to sit on one of the chairs beside them.

“I take care of magical creatures. Are you still teaching Potions?” she asked as she sat down on the nearest bench.

“Thankfully, no. I’m now Headmaster. How’s the weather in Canada?” he asked, watching her carefully. If he hadn’t, he would’ve missed the look of surprise in her eyes, before it was hidden. She would’ve done good in Slytherin.

“What makes you think I live in Canada?”

“Please, Mrs..?”

“Miss Monroe, but please just call me Miranda. I don’t stand on formalities.”

“Miranda, please don’t insult my intelligence. You’ve given enough clues to Mr. Potter for me to deduce you’re located somewhere in America.”

“Such as?” she asked as she watched him, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

“Mr. Potter said that when he spoke to you the first time, he could see trees all around you and the same with when he visited his children. It stands to reason it would be Canada, since they have the most forested areas around. Then there was the time difference. He said it was really early where you were and here it was suppertime. That limits it even further to North America. There’s also very little people living in certain Provinces of Canada, which gives you plenty of space to take care of magical creatures. Have I missed anything?”

She was silent for a few minutes as she watched him closely, wondering how to answer. Snape had to give her credit. None of her inner turmoil showed on her face. “I’d rather not talk about where I’m from until I’m sure Harry and his children are safe.”

“So you don’t think it’s over?” he asked with a frown. She was right, of course. It had been too easy.

“No, and neither does our Elder. He said something was wrong, that not all the sickness had been lifted yet. I just didn’t know how to tell Harry,” she murmured as she looked over at the family laughing at the table. “And it’ll be soon.”

“How do you know that?” Snape asked in surprise, looking over at Draco and Rebecca, wondering if he should warn them.

She shook her head and frowned slightly. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling right now. Nothing concrete, but still there, in the currents,” she murmured softly, eyes closed. For a moment, Snape thought she was in a kind of trance, but then she sighed and rubbed at her face. “It’s complicated.”

“Are you a Seer, then?” he asked, frowning at the group.

Miranda laughed. “No, Severus, but I can read the subtle changes in the elemental currents. Not everything is as it seems here. The danger hasn’t passed just yet. It’s almost like it’s holding its breath in anticipation of something.”

Severus’ frown deepened and he rose to his feet. “Shall we join them at breakfast?” he asked, holding his hand out. _To help her to her feet, of course_ , he told himself, but hid a smile when she accepted.

Such a small gesture shouldn’t please him as much as it did, but it did anyway and he couldn’t explain it to himself.


	12. Betrayed

Chapter 12 – Betrayed

Breakfast had been done for over an hour and the children, after a shy start, were playing a game of tag around where the adults were sitting, talking amicably. Harry suspected it was because of Miranda that Snape and Draco were behaving around Ron. He would catch one or the other frowning or stop in mid-sneer as they would catch themselves before a retort could slip by.

It was actually amusing to watch.

He couldn’t tell if Miranda was catching it as well and ignoring it, or if she just wasn’t seeing it. He rather thought it was the former and not the latter.

“Oh, Harry,” Miranda murmured as she pulled a piece of paper out of her pant pocket and handed it to him. “Dudley would like for you to contact him.”

Harry frowned as he took the piece of paper from her, shifting Lily in his arms, not sure if he really wanted anything to do with his bully of a cousin. “Did he say why?”

With a sigh, Miranda shrugged. “I gathered that he’s having the same problem with his kids as you were having growing up. He also didn’t want his father to know he wanted to contact you.”

His eyebrows rose in surprise. “Really?”

He noticed that everyone was watching them in interest and sighed, realizing he was going to have to explain what they were talking about. “Mrs. Biggs says hi, too.”

Harry smiled as he remembered the woman who’d babysat him and looked out for him. He’d forgotten about her. Looking at the others, he sighed and shook his head. “If it’s what you think the problem is, Miranda, that means that Dudley’s kids are displaying bouts of magic?”

“He didn’t come out and say it, but yes,” she murmured as she sat back in her chair. “He also said he’d like to be a part of your kids’ lives and vice versa. He seems genuinely willing to make up for being a little bastard. Give him a chance.”

Harry nodded and stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket. He’d go see Dudley later, after he’d spent time with his children. It was still too soon to leave his children behind. He watched as Draco’s and Snape’s eyebrow rose in silent question. “I’ll explain later,” he said with a sigh, shaking his head.

“So, Harry,” Ron asked, leaning back in his chair, breaking the tension. “What are you planning now?”

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he looked down at the sleeping child in his arms. “I think I need to spend some time with my children before I return to work. I guess my next task is going to be getting a babysitter for them if I keep working. Maybe a live-in nanny, considering the odd hours I keep at work.”

“That might be wise,” Draco murmured, nodding in agreement, wondering when he should begin to court Harry, or if it was wise to do so. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he looked over at Miranda, who nodded her head at him. Was she telling him to take the chance? Could she read his mind?

Miranda only smiled slightly before turning to face Ron, who was now speaking, of all things, about Quidditch and how it was scheduled to begin playing in a couple of days.

Snape watched the interaction between Miranda and Draco and frowned. Just what was going on there? Then he noticed her eyes glazed over at the mention of a game she probably had never heard of before today. He could sympathize with her. He had no liking for the game in particular.

The friendly and relaxed atmosphere was suddenly broken by a nearby statue blowing apart and the children screaming.

All the adults reacted on instinct. Harry clutched Lily closer while Draco and Miranda dove for the other children who were running towards them. Draco was surprised when the next couple of shots were deflected against a shield. One that protected himself, the children and Miranda.

When he looked up, he realized why that was, as Miranda was standing with her hands up, sweating slightly. “Get the children out of here,” she told him, as two more shots landed against the shield and her knees nearly buckled. James was clutching at Miranda.

“Alban!” Draco yelled out. The house-elf appeared instantly. “Take the baby from Harry, then come back for Rebecca. Get the other elves to come for Sirius and James.”

“Yes, Master Malfoy,” Alban squeaked, cringing as a few more blasts were heard around them. He headed directly for Harry and took Lily from him before vanishing. Draco was confident that whoever was attacking them would never find the children, even if they completely destroyed the Manor.

He concentrated on the fight, dimly noticing that Snape was fighting his way towards James and Miranda. Draco wondered why she wasn’t fighting back, but then he assumed she had her hands full with the shield. 

Four more blasts landed on the shields and Miranda fell to her knees, James still clinging to her. Draco saw a house-elf try to pry the boy from her, but the boy refused, screaming something he couldn’t quite make out over the sound of the fighting.

With the next blast, they could almost feel the shield break. The next one hit Miranda, James and the house-elf directly, almost like it was meant to. When the dust cleared, they could see the three of them lying still on the ground.

“What the hell are you doing?” Draco heard Harry exclaim from behind him. He turned just in time to see Ron cast a spell at Harry before dust and debris flew all around them. Ron?! What the hell was going on here? he wondered as he covered his eyes, trying to see what was happening. 

Then as suddenly as it had started, the attack stopped.

Draco could hear Snape coughing nearby and he wondered just what had happened? Were the rest alright? And what the hell had happened with Weasley? He made his way over to where he thought Snape was. The dust was starting to clear and he could see the silhouette of the older man standing ahead of him.

“Severus?” he called out, coughing as he inhaled dust.

“Here.” When Draco was close enough, he understood why Snape simply stood there. Where James and Miranda had been, there was just the body of the house-elf that had been trying to save the boy. Alban popped in and looked down at his fellow creature and made a sound of disgust before looking up at Draco. 

“What about Potter?” Snape asked as he looked around the grounds.

There was no sign of either Harry or Ron except for Harry’s wand, which lay on the ground. “Ron betrayed Harry,” Draco murmured, still unable to believe it. He was Harry’s best mate. Why would he betray him like that?

Snape frowned. “Did Potter tell you anything about where he’d been held before his attack?”

“Only that it had looked like a cave. Does that mean anything to you?” he asked, trying to remember the one time Harry had talked about it after one of his many nightmares.

“I think I may have an idea of where they are, but we need to hurry.”

“Alban aren’t you going to take care of your kin?” Draco asked when the house-elf made no move to remove the body.

“He is not of this house, Master,” Alban told him as he looked down at the body again with a look and sniff of disdain.

“Whose house-elf is he, then?”

* * *

Miranda became aware of someone crying next to her and forced her eyes to open. She could see stone floor beyond the rug she was laying on. Looking down, she was surprised to see James’ small body curled up against her, shivering in fear.

“James?” she murmured as she tried to push herself to a sitting position, gasping in pain as she jarred bruised muscles. “What happened? Where are we?”

“Oh, Miranda, I thought you were hurt badly,” he whimpered as he climbed into her lap. “Mum has us but I don’t know where we are.”

Miranda frowned slightly as she held the frightened child. “How do you know your mum has us?” she asked him, rubbing his back comfortingly.

“She was just here. I’m afraid, Miranda.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m here,” she told him, kissing the top of his head as she looked around the room. She had to get them out of here, but how? “Are you hurt?”

He shook his head and wiped his eyes. “What are we going to do?”

She sat him so he could look at her. “We’re going to try and get out of here. If we get separated, I want you to be brave and not cry. Use what I taught you if you have to. Alright?”

She watched as he took a deep breath and felt pride well up in her as he made an effort to do what she said. “Alright.”

“That’s my good boy,” she murmured as she hugged him close before getting him to stand up. Pushing herself to her feet, and trying not to wince, she limped over to the door and was glad when she saw him following behind her. 

“Stay behind me,” she whispered, in case someone was on the other side of the door. Opening it up a crack, she was surprised to see that no one was guarding the other side. Maybe they didn’t think they’d try to escape?

Pulling the door open wider, she chanced looking in the corridor, and frowned when she didn’t see anyone. She led him down the hall, hoping she was leading them towards freedom and not further into their clutches.

A few times, they had to sneak by as they came across a few of their captors but she found it was too easy. It was almost like they were doing it on purpose, to lull them into a false sense of security. It just made her more on edge, more alert.

When they rounded another corner, they came face to face with a cloaked figure who hadn’t been there when she’d looked before moving into the corridor. She backed up a step in surprise and felt James lay a hand on her leg. “Run,” she said softly as she moved towards the person. She heard James take off down the hall, away from them.

She saw a delicate hand come out with a weird looking stick but didn’t think anything about it… until something shot out of it. She tried to dodge whatever it was, but she was too close and it struck her in the chest, throwing her backwards.

She landed on her back a few feet away, gasping for breath as pain shot through her. She couldn’t tell what hurt more, her back or her chest.

“Take her to the main chamber and give her the potion,” she heard dimly and felt two sets of hands haul her to her feet. “Macnair, find the boy and bring him to the room.”

“Yes, Mistress,” a man said as he bowed respectfully and went in search of James.

“Who the hell are you?” Miranda gasped through the pain before the other two could move, as she watched the stranger turn to leave.

“No one you’d know,” the stranger murmured as she turned to look at her. “Harry should never have involved you in this. His mistake just makes my decision easier. Not only will he loose his son, but an old friend as well. And it’s entirely his fault.”

Miranda could hear the laughter in the stranger’s voice and glared. “It’s not Harry who’s at fault here, but you,” she snapped, her anger pushing the pain away for a little. “You’re delusional if you think everyone will allow you to complete your plans.”

The stranger stepped closer and she could almost see sparks flying from the shrouded eyes. “You don’t know anything about what we’re trying to do here,” the stranger snarled and Miranda could see brown frizzy hair in the dark hood and she frowned as it reminded her of something Harry had once shown her. “But it doesn’t matter. A great wrong will be righted tonight.”

“You’re Hermione, aren’t you,” Miranda murmured softly.

The stranger froze for a second and she could feel the heat of the glare from the cloak. “Get her out of here.” 

Miranda struggled with the men dragging her down the corridor, trying to get away so she could find James and make sure he was safe. She managed to get one hand free, much to their surprise, but then she drew back the arm before they could get hold of it again and punched the other in the face.

When he let go, she turned to face the other but wasn’t fast enough. She cried out in surprise when he hit her hard across the face. She gasped, seeing stars, and turned back in time to see his fist. He punched her in the stomach and she fell to the floor, gasping for breath. “No more of that,” he growled as he grabbed hold of her hair and jerked her to her feet. 

The one she’d punched growled as he rubbed his face. The look he threw her told her he wanted to hurt her, but the other stopped him before he could act. “We have our orders. Let’s get her to the main chamber.”

They hauled her down the corridor once more. When they stopped, she noticed that the main chamber only had a stone table, which they laid her on, despite her struggles. When she tried to get up, one of them pinned her down while the other bound her hands with rope tied to some hooks on the floor at the base of the stone, foolishly leaving her legs free. Did they really think she wouldn’t fight them? 

Idiots.

Once done, the one on her left pulled out a phial of liquid from his pocket and tried to make her drink it. She remembered when Harry had given her something from this world, it had been a Healing salve... she still had the scar to prove it didn’t work for her, so she refused to open her mouth.

If the healing salve had ended up giving her second degree burns, she could just imagine what this stuff would do to her.

“Open up,” the one on her left growled in annoyance. She shook her head and stared straight ahead. 

“We could pinch her nose. Then she won’t have a choice but to open her mouth,” the other man said.

“Well, then do it, man,” the one on her left growled impatiently. Miranda tensed as the man on her right began to lean forward and when he was at the right angle, she kicked out with her foot, connecting with him just behind the head. He went down in surprise, cursing.

When he came up, his eyes were blazing with anger. “That’s it!” he leaned over her, held her head in a vise-like grip and pinched her nose, forcing her to open her mouth to breathe.

“Please, don’t do this,” she begged, feeling tears filling her eyes when they ignored her and poured the liquid into her mouth. She coughed and choked on it, spitting some out, though she could feel some burn its way down her throat.

“Fuck,” the one on her left cursed as he moved slightly back, avoiding the liquid and dropping the phial next to her. It fell down her arm and she managed to catch it. If they were ever rescued, they’d need to know what they gave her… if she survived, that is.

“Give her the spare. I don’t think she swallowed any.”

She tried to tell them that she had, in fact, swallowed some, but she couldn’t seem to breathe properly. She gasped as another phial was poured down her throat. She felt a hand clamp over her mouth. She could feel her mouth burning and she couldn’t do anything but swallow the vile stuff.

“There, that’s it,” the one holding her head cooed mockingly. They pulled back, laughing, until she started convulsing. They froze, watching her in surprise and horror, until, just as suddenly as she’d started, she went still. That was when they realized that she’s stopped breathing. “Shit. What do we do?”

The one on her left took out his wand and cast a Resuscitation spell on her. When he stopped the spell, she was breathing on her own, with a slight wheeze and was unconscious. 

“At least now she won’t die before it’s time.”

* * *

James didn’t get very far. He went down three corridors before Macnair caught him. “There you are, you brat,” Macnair growled, grabbing his arm. “Let’s go.”

James allowed himself to be dragged back the way he’d come. They took a few twists and turns until he was hopelessly lost. Just where was this man taking him? Where was Miranda?

Macnair finally loosened his grip on his arm when they reached a big chamber. He noticed Miranda lying on a… table? It was hard to tell exactly what it was. “Good, she’s ready for the ritual,” Macnair murmured as he led James further into the chamber. 

James watched him and the others who were setting up the room, waiting for his chance to make his move. When he was close enough to Miranda, he pretended to stumble into the man holding him. When he righted himself up, he was pleased to realize that the other didn’t even realize he’d taken his wand. 

He remembered a spell his father had taught him and Sirius, in case someone tried to take them away. It was tricky, and he’d have to wait until Macnair was completely distracted before he could try it. He didn’t have long to wait.

They were almost to the table when Macnair stopped to snarl at one of the men. Aiming the wand towards Macnair’s foot, he sent a Stinging Jinx at it. Macnair howled at the sudden pain and let go of James, who ran for Miranda.

Climbing up on the table, he knelt beside her. “Miranda?” he asked, shaking her. He saw her eyes flutter slightly. He looked up to see everyone coming towards him and decided that now would be a good time to try the shield Miranda had taught him over the last month. 

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on creating the shield like she’d shown him. When he opened his eyes, he saw that the men were pounding on it. Looking down at Miranda again, he shook her once more. “Miranda, wake up,” he said desperately after shaking her for the third time with no reaction.

Her eyes fluttered again and she coughed a couple of times. “James?” she said, her voice raspy, like she’d been screaming for a while.

“What did they do to you?” he asked, concerned for his friend.

She shook her head, coughing again. “In my hand. Hide it,” she gasped out.

Leaning over her, he tried to reach her hand, but ended up having to sit on her stomach to reach it. A phial? Was it what they’d given her? Sitting up, he shoved it into his pocket and looked down at her. “What do I do?”

“Con… concentrate,” she gasped out, her eyes rolling back in her head as she passed out again.

Closing his eyes against the tears threatening to fall, he concentrated on keeping his shield up as long as he could.


	13. A New Dark Lord?

Chapter 13 – A New Dark Lord?

Harry became aware of his surroundings slowly. It was cold, damp and hard. Where the hell was he? Was he in a cave? What had happened to him?

Then he remembered. 

Everything. 

All his memories were back! He was ecstatic. He had everything back. Including…

Ron had betrayed him!

To the enemy!

Where were his children?

He knew Lily was safe. He remembered the house-elf taking her from him and Apparating away with her not long after the fight had begun. But what about Sirius? And James? What had happened to the others? He remembered hearing James screaming something, knew he’d been with Miranda. He’d even felt the shield go down. That had been when Ron had turned on him.

Then nothing.

Where was Draco..? 

At this he paused in his thoughts. Where had that come from? Why did it bother him to think that Draco might also be caught?

He heard footsteps coming closer and tried to remain as still as possible, wanting to catch whoever it was by surprise. If he could just get away…

“I know you’re awake, Potter. There’s no use pretending otherwise,” he heard from in front of him.

He knew that voice.

But it couldn’t be!

Harry frowned and opened his eyes, blinking several times to bring them into focus as he looked at the dark blur in front of him. The blur finally became a person… one he’d never thought he’d see again. “Hermione?” he asked, confused as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. Was he dead, then?

“Good. Your memories are back. I’d hate for my Lord and husband to kill you before they returned,” she sneered nastily. “We want you at your best when He returns.”

“What?” Harry asked, frowning at the woman he’d been told had been killed a year before the end of the war. “Where have you been? What happened after you were caught?”

Hermione laughed humorlessly. “Why would you care now, Harry? Where were you? I waited for my _friends_ to rescue me. What a joke you turned out to be. My Lord rescued me from his minions, promised me I’d never be hurt again if I joined him. At least he kept his promise… until you killed him.”

“But, Hermione, we were told you were killed in the raid,” Harry said, not understanding how this could be. Why would Dumbledore lie to him like that? And then he realized why. “Dumbledore didn’t want us to go after you,” he whispered in horror.

Hermione laughed at him. “Maybe it was for the best, Harry,” she murmured before she snapped her fingers. “Bring them.”

His arms were suddenly wrenched back and he tried to fight free, but their hold was stronger than his strength at the moment.

Someone pressed a wand tip against his back. “Give me an excuse, _Potter_ ,” he heard from behind him. 

_Crabbe_ , Harry thought as he stopped struggling. He remembered how much Crabbe liked to be physical with his opponents.

“How are you going to bring him back, Hermione? We destroyed all the Horcruxes,” Harry asked before they could leave the room, curious despite the situation.

Hermione turned with a smile to look at him and he saw the young woman he’d known and loved in school. “Not all of them. Before we were married, I told Him what you were doing and how many of them you’d found. My Lord created another one, just in case. And she’s standing right in front of you.”

Harry looked at her, stunned. “So why wait this long to bring Him back?”

“I needed the perfect body for My Lord to use as his own. I found it was poetic justice to use someone you would hesitate to kill. Like one of your own children?” Hermione said with a cruel satisfied smile.

Horror filled him at her logic. She was right. He _would_ hesitate to kill one of his own children. She had thought this through very well. “And Ginny? When did you turn her to your… cause? How?” he asked angrily.

“Ginny? That was easy. She hated your job, what with the odd hours, gone at different times –whether it was day or night –, not knowing if you would come home in one piece… if you came home at all. She was tired of being alone with the children. You didn’t even notice when she was gone.” Hermione smirked at him, an eyebrow raised.

Harry frowned, trying to think back. Yes. There had been that week Ginny had taken off on a vacation by herself. A retreat, she’d said. “She wasn’t even in England that week,” Harry told her angrily, but now he wondered if she’d left at all.

Hermione laughed at his naiveté. “Actually, she never left. We intercepted her before she took the plane. And now she’s ours.”

“She was arrested yesterday, and all because of you,” Harry murmured as it began to make sense. He had never taken those photos. He knew that for sure. 

“Of course she was. Who do you think sent you those photos in the first place? I knew you were suspicious of Ginny. When you threw her out of the house, we tried to get James but even she couldn’t get in the house. So I had to do something drastic. But then you had to go and hide all three of the children on me and delay My Lord’s plans. And on top of that, involve someone who has no dealings with our Wizarding community.” Hermione gave a mirthless laugh as she thought of all the trouble Harry had caused her. “It was a good plan, getting the children out of England. So tell me. Where did you send them?”

“I don’t know,” Harry told her honestly and watched as her face changed from polite amusement to anger in seconds.

“Fine, don’t tell me. Bring them,” she ordered as she turned and walked out of the room, confident that her minions would obey.

Them? Who else did she have?

He understood quickly who she meant as one of the men led an unresisting and vacant eyed Ronald out of the room.

Imperius curse. 

He should have known. It explained everything, but Harry didn’t have time to think as they led him out after Ron. What would happen to them now? There would be no stopping Hermione in her plot to resurrect Voldemort and Voldemort would not hesitate to kill him this time.

Voldemort _would_ win.

* * *

When Harry was dragged into a chamber, he didn’t know if he should be relieved or shocked at the sight that greeted him.

In the center was a rock shaped like an altar, roughly three-feet high and long enough for an adult to lie on, which was where they had placed Miranda. She lay with her hands tied on the edge of the altar and at her sides, her hair hanging over one edge, feet over the other, and she was unconscious.

James was sitting on her stomach with a wand in his hands, which lay on her chest, his eyes closed with a bubble surrounding them. What was funny about the sight was all the Death Eaters scrambling to get through the barrier.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Hermione demanded angrily.

The nearest Death Eater bowed to her. “When we brought the boy in here, no one realized he’d lifted a wand. He ran over to the woman and was up on the altar before we could stop him. Then he did this,” he said, gesturing to the shield bubble.

“And just _whose_ wand is that?” she demanded, fury sparking from her eyes.

The Death Eater flinched and pointed to a man pacing angrily in front of the barrier.

“Macnair!” she snapped.

The man stiffened and walked quickly over, bowing. “Mistress?”

“Tell me how your incompetence gave the boy your wand?” she asked sweetly.

Macnair swallowed thickly, knowing he would be punished for this. “He must have taken it when he fell against me earlier, when I was bringing him here, Mistress.” With a flick of her wand, Macnair went flying to a nearby pillar to which he was tied instantly. “Our lord will deal with you when He gets here,” she told him before she turned to look at Harry. “How does it feel to know your son is a kleptomaniac?” she asked him with a smug smile.

“In this case?” Harry asked with an innocent look. “Like cheering ‘way to go James’.” He watched the smug look vanish from her face before she turned away with an angry snarl to look at a nearby Death Eater.

“ _You_. Come here,” she ordered sharply. The Death Eater rushed over to her, abandoning his useless efforts to get to James. “Is everything else ready?”

“Yes, Mistress. The only thing left to do is to give the boy the potion and the sacrifice. We already gave the other potion to the woman.”

Sacrifice? Now Harry understood why Miranda was there. Voldemort wanted to kill him, so they needed someone else to sacrifice to take over James’ body. “Hermione, tell me something. How will it feel to be married to a five-year-old?”

Hermione smiled. “That’s what an ageing potion is for. My Lord will become whatever age he wants to be and then you’ll be dead,” she told him without looking at him, surveying the problem before her, eyes narrowed in thought.

He needed to help James out, but what could he do? They either had his wand or had left it back at the manor. Either way, it didn’t help him at the moment. He could do wandless magic, but he didn’t know what Hermione would do if he failed. He could try what Miranda had taught him, but he needed his hands in order to do some of the things she’d shown him when they were kids… if he even got them right in the first place.

He watched as Hermione raised her wand and pointed it at the two people on the table. “ _Accio Macnair’s wand_.” It twitched violently and flew out of James’ hand to Hermione’s.

Harry watched and held his breath, but the barrier didn’t come down like Hermione had expected. So, Miranda had taught James some things while she had him. How long could he last?

“ _Finite Incantatem_ ,” Hermione said, frowning. Nothing happened. The barrier didn’t come down. With a snarl, she turned to Harry. “What kind of magic is that?” she demanded.

“I don’t know. I never could figure it out,” he lied smoothly. He’d gotten better at lying with the war. He’d had to learn in order to survive with his sanity intact. He watched her as her eyes narrowed, trying to tell if he was lying to her or not. The wand tip pressed harder into his back in warning. “It’s her kind of magic, Hermione. Not ours.”

“How do I get around it?” she demanded.

“Again, I don’t know.”

Hermione turned to look at the two on the altar, thinking furiously. “Tie him to the pillars over there,” she ordered, pointing at the pillars closest to the altar as she walked closer to the barrier. She reached out a hand. _Probably wondering what would happe_ n, Harry thought to himself. When she touched it, nothing happened. It was as if she were touching a solid wall.

“Nott, you said the woman did something like this during the fight?” she asked thoughtfully.

“Yes, Mistress,” Nott answered promptly.

“How long did she last?”

“Long enough for Malfoy to take Goyle out. The shield took about a dozen shots before it started to buckle.”

“I want you to start firing from the other side. I’ll fire from this side. _Don’t_ hit the boy.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Nott murmured and hurried to the spot she wanted him in, wand aimed in front of James’ body, where he would miss hitting him when the shield collapsed.


	14. Unexpected Company

Chapter 14 – Unexpected Company

Snape looked over at Draco as they readied themselves to rescue Harry, James and Miranda. Of all the people for him to help, Snape would never have thought it would be Harry Potter. What had happened in the weeks he’d helped that man recover from what someone had done to him?

“Just remember not to go charging in there without thinking,” he told the younger man, and watched as Draco turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Severus, you seem to forget that I’m a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor. Unlike Potter, I don’t fancy getting myself into something I can’t get out of,” Draco told him with a snort.

“Just making sure. You’ve been hanging around Potter for a while. I was starting to wonder if you might have picked up on some of his… tendencies.”

“Let’s just go,” Draco said with a slight shake of his head. Snape watched as Draco slid Harry’s wand next to his in the holster on his wrist.

* * *

Harry watched as Hermione and Nott took their places on each side of the bubble protecting his son. He had to do something! He couldn’t just let them hurt James!

He struggled against the rope Crabbe had used, but it held tightly. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on the spell to release the ropes. His wandless magic had become better over the years since he began working as an Auror, but he didn’t know if it would work well enough for him now.

He bit back a growl of anger when nothing happened. 

Looking at where Hermione and Nott were shooting spells at James, he tried again, hoping it would work so he could help his son. This time, he felt the rope loosen slightly. Was it enough to get him free?

James gasped in pain as the shield let go and Harry watched as he collapsed on top of Miranda. 

Hermione sauntered over to him, anger flashing in her eyes. “Did you really think you could keep us from our goal, boy?” she asked as she rounded the altar.

James watched her, fear clear in his eyes. Harry wanted to help him but didn’t want to give himself away just yet. 

Hermione reached out and grabbed him by the shirt. “No more delays,” she murmured as she hauled him off the altar and shoved him toward Nott. “Get everyone in here so we can begin.”

“We might want to make it fast, too,” Nott said as he took hold of James’ wrist.

Hermione turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Nott swallowed hard. “When we gave the woman the potion, she spit most of it out and began to choke. We gave her a second dose since we didn’t think she’d had any of the first phial. She started to convulse for a few seconds before she stopped breathing. We had to work hard to revive her. Her breathing’s been erratic ever since. We don’t know how long she’ll last.”

Hermione’s eyes shot angry sparks before she controlled her anger. “And you’re only telling me this _now_?” she demanded angrily, sparks practically shooting from her. “Get everyone in here. _Now_!”

* * *

Draco and Snape Apparated inside what looked like a cave. “Do you really think they’d use some of the Dark Lord’s old hideouts?” Draco whispered as he looked down the corridor, wondering if they were in the right place. It looked deserted to him.

“Only one way to find out. I’ll go down this way, you go that way. Both corridors connect to a central chamber. Stay hidden until we know what we’re up against,” Snape murmured as he looked down the other end of the corridor. Draco rolled his eyes at the warning. “Be safe.”

“You, too.” He watched as Snape walked down the corridor before he headed in the opposite direction. He needed to save Harry so he could talk to him, see if what he was feeling towards the other man was real… and if Harry felt the same way about him. During the divorce proceedings, he hadn’t wanted to pressure Harry, so he’d reined in his feelings. Now he needed to know.

Walking down the corridor, he was surprised when he didn’t meet up with anyone. Were they even in the right place? Hearing a strange noise, Draco stopped and pushed himself against the rock wall, listening intently.

“Hurry up. She won’t wait forever and you know what’ll happen if she does,” he heard from ahead. She? Who where they talking about?

“It doesn’t matter how long she waits. She’ll find a reason to punish us anyway,” a second person grumbled. 

He heard two sets of feet walk away from him and sighed in relief. At least that confirmed that they were in the right place, anyway. Waiting another few minutes, he pushed away from the wall and followed the corridor, hoping it would lead him to wherever those men were going.

* * *

Snape walked down the corridor, keeping his ears open in case any sound came from ahead of him. He was surprised when he didn’t meet up with anyone. He frowned as he kept walking, hearing a strange noise coming from up ahead, like a group of people were hurrying ahead of him. Had they seen or heard him or Draco? He didn’t think they’d made a sound.

He heard the sets of feet walk away from him and sighed in relief. At least that confirmed that they were in the right place, anyway. Waiting another few minutes, he pushed away from the wall and followed the corridor, hoping it would lead him to wherever those men were going.

To one side of him, he noticed a room where several cloaks and masks sat on a couch. Looking around, he inched inside and snagged one of each and put them on. This would make his search a lot faster. Pulling the hood up, he heard a noise behind him. “Hurry up, you know she doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Turning around, he was surprised to see the man had been addressing him. Nodding, he followed behind the Death Eater, eyes glinting with determination. He was led to the central chamber, where other Death Eaters were waiting for something to happen.

Then he saw Miranda lying on an altar in front of the group. He could see sweat on her pale face and she was shaking.

He was surprised to see Hermione standing beside Nott Senior, who had a hand around James’ wrist. The boy was glaring mutinously at the floor. He hadn’t heard that she’d joined the Dark Lord’s ranks. When had that happened? Yes, he remembered hearing a rumor that she’d been killed, but knowing how things could be twisted around, he’d been doubtful of it, especially since no body had been found. In order to cause the most damage to Potter – and to prove a point – he would’ve made sure the body was found if she’d really been dead.

Suddenly Miranda began to choke and cough. The man closest to her managed to roll her onto her side before she could choke on the vomit. Snape’s eyes narrowed and his nose wrinkled at the smell that wafted to him, making him wonder just what they’d given her. Then he registered the bruise on her cheek and felt anger burn in his gut, but he pushed it down. He held himself still, not wanting to give himself away, and knew if he did anything right now, they would all be in danger.

* * *

Harry held on to the rope, hoping no one would notice. He needed a distraction, but what? 

He looked over at James who glared at the floor instead of at Hermione, who stood beside him, Nott’s hand still tight around his wrist. 

Then he looked over at Miranda. She didn’t look too good. He could see the slight trembling in her body, and there was a fine sheet of sweat on her pale face.

Suddenly she began to choke and cough as her stomach tried to get rid of the potion they’d forced her to take. The man closest to her managed to roll her onto her side before she could choke on the vomit. Harry wrinkled his nose at the smell that wafted to him, nearly gagging, making him wonder just what had been in that potion they’d given her. 

When Miranda was done, the man rolled her over onto her back again, but she was shaking even more than before and Harry was really worried about her. What would the potion do to her? The man waved his wand and the mess vanished.

People were making their way into the chamber now, all masked and cloaked. Now would probably be a good time for a distraction but… 

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a light touch on his hand but forced himself to remain still. What was going on now?

“Harry,” he heard Draco whisper from behind the pillar. “What’s going on? And why is Weasley here?”

“They want to sacrifice Miranda to bring _him_ back. Imperious curse,” Harry whispered back, being careful not to let anyone see him speak. “What are you doing here?”

“Rescuing you, of course,” Draco told him as he pressed Harry’s wand into his hand. “Be ready to act when the distraction hits.”

And with that, Harry felt Draco move away from the pillar. Just what would be the distraction? How would he know what it was?

* * *

More people were making their way into the chamber now, all masked and cloaked. Now would probably be a good time for a distraction but –

On the other side of the room, he noticed Harry and Ron on the right of the altar, tied to some pillars. If he hadn’t been looking in that direction, he would have missed the flash of blonde hair and he realized it was Draco sneaking up behind the pillar that Harry was tied to.

Good.

Everyone was in position. He watched as Draco gave Harry his wand and move away, circling the room to get behind everyone.

He watched as they dragged James into position and pulled something out of his pocket. The little ball felt warm in his hand. Letting it slide out of his hand and down his robes, he waited until it was on the floor before stepping back, letting the other Death Eaters get in front of him, until he was at the back of the room. It would wait for him to trigger it before it blew up, which was what he’d designed it to do.

When the ceremony began, the silence was almost deafening, which was probably why the explosion that rocked the room sounded so loud. Several men in the center of the room lay on the floor, either dead or unconscious and bleeding, while others ran out of the way, confused by what had just happened.

Snape ducked as a shot came his way as the confused Death Eaters fired wildly around them, adding to the chaos.

He watched as the rope tying Harry to the pillar dropped to the ground, saw him point his wand at Ron and grab a wand from the floor to give to Ron. Watched as the redhead made his way behind the altar where James was hiding, having been released by Nott in the confusion. Miranda still lay on the altar, unaware of the danger.

Throwing the cloak at the nearest Death Eater, he saw Draco fighting not far from him, so he shot at the Death Eater behind Draco, even as he took the mask off. He saw Harry fight his way to them, probably hoping to help them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hermione also making her way towards them, her look murderous.

* * *

Right after the blast distracted the gathered Death Eaters, Several men in the center of the room lay on the floor, either dead or unconscious, while others ran out of the way, confused by what had just happened.

With his ears ringing, Harry dropped the ropes and held his wand out at the ready. He quickly turned to Ron. “ _Finite Incantatem_ ,” he said and watched as Ron’s eyes became focused. He blinked as the Imperius curse’s hold left him.

“Wha-”

“Never mind right now. I need you to protect James and Miranda,” Harry ordered as he bent down and picked up a discarded wand. “Here, use this wand.”

“Right,” Ron said as he took it from Harry and made his way behind the altar where James was hiding.

Harry turned his attention to the fighting, ducking spells aimed at him, thought he figured they were spells that hadn’t hit their intended targets and were just flying randomly around the room. It took him a few minutes to realize that two of the figures in the melee were Snape and Draco, the telltale white hair giving Draco away as he fired spell after spell.

He fought his way to them, hoping to help them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hermione doing the same thing from the opposite direction, her look murderous.

The next few minutes seemed to blur into an incoherent mess. One second they were fighting the Death Eaters and the next there was a high pitched scream. Harry saw a streak of green light flash by his right shoulder and hit something – or someone – behind him. When he turned around, Hermione was flying through the air.

Everyone stilled for a few seconds, unable to believe what was happening… and the Death Eaters took advantage of the surprise to Apparate away. Bodies littered the floor, either dead or severely injured. The only sounds left were the moans of those injured, Harry’s, Snape’s and Draco’s panting and someone sobbing.

Harry looked at his two unlikely allies to make sure they weren’t injured. Draco bore a cut on one cheek and Snape remained uninjured. Then he turned around, looking for his son. Quickly, he made his way to the altar and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ron, Miranda and James unharmed. James launched himself at his father, sobbing in relief. 

“It’s alright. Everything will be fine,” Harry murmured soothingly, holding him close. He looked over at Ron. “How’s Miranda?” He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned slightly, but relaxed when he saw it was only Snape.

The older man was frowning. “What happened to the woman?” he asked as he came closer, crouching beside her. He reached out and checked her pulse, his frown deepening when he felt how weak it was.

“They gave her a potion,” Harry told him, pushing James away a little so he could bend down beside Snape. “They didn’t seem to care what it would do to her. From what they were saying, they gave it to her a second time after she tried to spit it out. Apparently she stopped breathing at some point after that.”

Snape looked over at him in surprise. “They doubled the dosage? Without knowing how her physiology would react with something that’s foreign to her? What kind of potion was it?”

“I don’t know. No one said.”

“I kept this,” James told them as he held out a phial. “Miranda had it in her hand when I hopped up on the altar earlier. Will this help you, sir?”

Snape took it from the boy and tipped it close to his nose, sniffing delicately. “Let’s take her back to the manor. I might be able to make an antidote, after a bit of testing,” Snape murmured as he pocketed the phial. “Ron can help Draco take Hermione’s body back with us.”

“Hermione’s body?” Ron asked, eyes going round. “What’s he talking about Harry?”

“I’ll explain things once we get to the manor and I’m sure the rest of the kids are alright. Help Draco, please. I have to take James back to the manor and go to the ministry to report this.”

Ron pressed his lips together and Harry was sure it was to stop some kind of protest, but he nodded and rose to his feet.

Snape picked Miranda up before looking around, only to realize that Hermione’s body was already gone. Where had it gone? Who had taken it?

He shook his head and Apparated to the Manor. He didn’t have time to worry about that right now. He needed to get Miranda settled and find a way to save her.

* * *

At the Manor, he walked up the stairs and into the first room he saw, kicking the door closed so he wouldn’t be disturbed. He sat her down in the chair so he could pull the blankets back on the bed. Turning towards her, he pulled her shoes off, wondering what he could change her into and if he should give her a bath. Reaching up to check her pulse again, he realized that her shirt was wet, probably with whatever potion they’d forced down her throat. He would have to give her a bath. 

“Alban,” he called out. The house-elf appeared beside him. 

“Master Snape?” he squeaked as he looked over at Miranda in curiosity.

“Get the bath ready. I’m also going to need one of my shirts,” he ordered, already pulling her shirt out of her pants. He needed to get her into a bath, and he didn’t think she’d be too happy to find out he’d undressed her. He hoped she’d stay unconscious for a while. “And a change of clothes for myself.” He’d take a shower to take the smell of the cave off him once he was done with Miranda, then he could see what he could do for her.

“Yes, sir.” 

He didn’t wait for the house-elf to leave, but picked her up again and took her into the bathroom. He was glad to see the bath was already turned on. Laying her down on the bench, he proceeded with taking her shirt and pants off, throwing it on the floor. He hesitated when it came to her bra and panties, wondering if he should leave them on then decided they didn’t need to be taken off. He could always use his wand to dry them when he was through.

Picking her up, he put her into the tub. He took the time to wash her, being thorough with her hair and neck. When he was done, he drained the tub and moved away to lay a towel on the bench before going back to pick her up. He laid her on the towel before taking another towel to dry her. Taking his wand out, he cast a drying charm for her hair and clothes, and was surprised to see her arch up and moan in pain.

He’d never seen anyone react that way before.

Sliding an arm under her shoulders, he slid the white buttoning shirt over her shoulders and buttoned it up, not really surprised to see it was too big for her. Picking her up, he took her back to the bed, frowning when she didn’t even wake up at all during the proceedings.

Pulling the blankets over her, he realized she was still shivering and sweating, almost like she had a fever. Because of her reaction to the drying charm, he hesitated with doing a diagnostic spell to see what was wrong with her.

Figuring the decision could wait until after he’d taken a shower, he headed for the bathroom again.

When he came out, feeling better for the shower, Miranda was still sleeping, but had tossed off the blankets. Walking closer, he decided he needed to diagnose her condition. Pulling his wand out and mentally crossing his fingers, he cast the spell. 

She tensed up as the spell touched her and she whimpered. By the time he was done, she was trembling in pain and soaking in sweat, but he learned that the potion had a sleeping draught component, but something else had been added to it and he couldn’t tell what it was. It had to be what they’d needed for the ritual. Now he only had to find out what that was. 

Knowing using his magic wasn’t going to help her current condition, he decided to try another tact, wondering if her reaction would be different. “Alban.” The house-elf appeared instantly. “I want you to assign an elf to help with Miranda that will report any changes directly to me. Right now, she needs to get dry. Do it.”

The house-elf looked at him then at Miranda in curiosity. With a snap of his fingers, both the bed and Miranda were dry. Snape’s eyes narrowed, watching her carefully. When she didn’t even twitch, he knew his suspicions were correct. Her body couldn’t tolerate the touch of his magic, but since the house-elves’ magic was completely different from his, it didn’t affect her the same way.

He was going to have to research different ways to treat her… maybe the muggle way would be easier on her. Turning around, he headed out of the room, confident that a house-elf would take care of her and inform him of any changes.


	15. Going Home

Chapter 15 – Going Home

Harry stood before the Minister of Magic, waiting for the man’s reaction to his report. “Are you sure you stopped his comeback?” Shacklebolt asked, clearly shaken at the prospect of having to deal with Voldemort again.

“As sure as anyone can be, Sir. What I do know is that there are still Death Eaters out there that we haven’t caught yet, even those that were in that room tonight. And one of them carried off Hermione’s body.” _I hope_ , he added to himself. He just hoped that what had happened to him didn’t happen to Hermione. If it did, she would come back to get her revenge on him and his family… and Draco would be dragged into this mess the time.

Not good.

Shacklebolt sighed tiredly. “Thank you, Harry. I’m sure you’re anxious to get back to your family. Take a few weeks to get settled in and take care of details.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Harry murmured before leaving the room. He really wanted to get back to Malfoy Manor as soon as he could. He needed to check on his kids, Miranda… 

He even wanted to make sure Draco was alright.

He frowned as he realized his thoughts were actually going to Draco. Shaking his head, he pushed the thought away until he could think about it without interruption. It didn’t take him long to make his way to one of the fireplaces and Floo to the manor. He was attacked as soon as he stepped out of the fireplace. Looking down he saw two brown-haired heads attached to his legs. “James, Sirius, what are you doing?” he asked with a laugh.

“You’re back,” Sirius mumbled through Harry’s clothes.

Harry laughed and picked him up. “Yes, Sirius, I’m back. Did you really think I wouldn’t be?” Sirius buried his head on Harry shoulder and nodded. “Well, I’m back now. Come on, James. Let’s go find the others.”

“Alright, Dad. Everyone’s waiting in the living room. When are we going home? Where’s Mum?”

Harry cringed inside. He’d known he’d have to answer that question eventually, he just hadn’t thought it would be now. “Mum did some bad things and now she has to… help others to make up for it. As for home, I want to wait a little while longer. It’s easier for people to find me here than if we changed houses. Is that alright?”

James looked up at him and tipped his head a little to one side, biting his lip as he thought about it. “I suppose.” Taking hold of Harry’s hand, he led them to the living room. Draco stood beside the fireplace with Rebecca leaning against the wall beside him, and Ron, who was sitting on the couch. To one side of the room, a house-elf hovered around the play area they had fashioned for Lily, who was playing with some toys they’d found.

“How did it go?” Draco asked, turning to face the door.

Harry shrugged as he put Sirius down on the couch. “Don’t worry,” he murmured when Sirius clung to him. “I’m not going anywhere.” Sirius let go, but Harry knew it was with great reluctance. “As well I expected. Shacklebolt didn’t like the report, but also hopes it’s over. Too many of them got away tonight. What I’d like to know is who took Hermione’s body and why.”

“I agree.”

“Will someone explain to me about Hermione’s body?” Ron asked in exasperation as he glared at the two of them.

“In a little bit, Ron,” Harry said as he looked pointedly at the children. Ron huffed but nodded in understanding.

“What do you plan to do now?”

“I don’t know yet. Mind if we stay here a while longer?” Harry asked, rubbing his face tiredly. It had, after all, been a long day.

“Not at all. Besides, I don’t think Severus would like it too much if you took Miranda out of his care.”

Harry frowned as he realized he hadn’t even asked about her. “How is she?”

“We’re not quite sure yet. Severus is trying to stabilize her, but there’s no telling what they gave her or what effect it’ll have. Only time will tell.”

Harry shook his head, wondering what else to do. “Well, it’s late and you boys need sleep. Time for bed.”

Both boys started to protest but one look at Harry’s face changed their minds. “Yes, Dad,” they said in unison before leaving the room. When Harry turned to go pick up Lily, the hovering house-elf already had her in his arms and, with a smile to Harry, Apparated away.

Harry blinked in surprise. Well that was interesting. “Goodnight.”

With a roll of her eyes at the blindness of certain adults, Rebecca pushed off the wall and walked past Draco with a disgusted sigh. Draco’s eyebrow rose but didn’t say anything about it. “Goodnight, Rebecca.”

She stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder at him with a raised eyebrow. “Goodnight, Father.” She turned and nodded to Harry. “Harry.” Then she turned and nodded to Ron. “Mr. Weasley.” Draco shook his head at her display of temper, but let it go. There would be another time when he would address her lack of manners.

They waited until they were sure the children had indeed gone upstairs before Harry turned and walked over to pour himself something to drink. “It would seem, Ron, that we were lied to about Hermione’s death,” Harry murmured after downing his glass and pouring himself another. He turned to see at the look of surprise on the red-head’s face.

“Why?” Ron asked, a look of incredulity on his face.

“Why do you think?” Harry said with a snort. “Do you really think we would’ve left her in Voldemort’s hands if we’d know she was still alive?”

Ron frowned, unable to dispute that. “But why would she try to bring him back?”

Harry looked at his drink as he gathered his thoughts. So, Draco had told him what Hermione’s intentions had been. “She thinks he loves her,” he said with a shrug as he dropped into the nearest chair with a tired sigh.

He watched as Ron’s face twisted in disgust at the thought of anyone loving Voldemort. “And she believed him?” 

Harry shrugged. “Hard to say what lies he fed her, but yeah. I think she would’ve believed anything at that point. The point is he made her into one of his Horcruxes before the final battle. It’s why she wanted to bring him back. Now that piece is gone and he’s _never_ coming back,” Harry said with a satisfied look on his face.

“What’s a Horcrux?” Draco asked, startling them both. Harry had forgotten Draco was there, he was so quiet. 

Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged indifferently. “It’s what Voldemort used to keep himself alive. He’d leave pieces of his soul in certain things which would anchor him here if his body was ever destroyed.”

Draco looked like he actually understood that and didn’t like it one bit. “And that’s what he used Hermione as?” Harry nodded and took a sip of his drink, the liquid sliding smoothly down his throat. “That’s a little… disturbing. Are there any more?”

“No. I managed to destroy all of them before taking him on… at least I thought I had. Hermione confirmed that she was the last one, though, so I don’t have to worry about having to go hunting for more Horcruxes,” Harry told him as he rubbed at his burning eyes.

“So then,” Ron began slowly as he took it all in. “This means she’s not dead.”

Draco frowned at him. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, for one thing, we didn’t find her body.”

“Ron’s right. When I faced off Voldemort, I found out that he’d made me into a Horcrux by accident. When he hit me with the Killing Curse, it destroyed the piece of his soul that was inside me, but I lived. The same could be true for Hermione. Time will tell,” Harry said with a shrug at the look on Draco’s face.

He wasn’t sure how to feel at the look of horror on the other’s face. Would this make him turn from him? Knowing he’d been tainted by Voldemort? Shaking his head, he finished his drink and put the glass down before getting up. “Ron, I’ll lead you out. I think I’ve had enough for one night.” He turned to look at Draco and nodded. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Draco murmured and watched as Harry and Ron left the room, not knowing how to react. He knew Harry was still the same person he’d known, and now he knew far more than he’d ever guessed. A Horcrux? 

Shaking his head, he Apparated to his room. He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Harry sat on the couch in his room, looking at the blank sheet of paper sitting on the table in front of him, debating with whether he should write the letter or not. Frowning, he realized that right now his children needed him more than he needed the job.

Which one did he think were more important?

Shaking his head, he picked up the quill and dipped it into the ink. It really wasn’t that hard of a question to answer. His children needed him. Period.

When he was done writing his letter, he waited a little for the ink to dry.

Remembering the piece of paper Miranda had given him, he pulled it out of his pocket and stared at it. 

Did he really want to have anything to do with Dudley? Could he really afford for Dudley’s children to go through what he’d gone through? Even if Dudley accepted that his children were magical, no one else would. 

With a sigh, he used his wand to bring him another sheet of paper and began to write to Dudley. He would meet him the next day at a café near the Leaky Cauldron. It was the best he could do.

Sealing the letters, he dropped one on the desk and had a house-elf send the other by owl to Dudley’s address.

Time for bed.

* * *

Arthur watched as Molly paced the kitchen, muttering to herself, looking a little haggard.

Thinking that maybe she was worried about Harry’s and Ginny’s kids, he cleared his throat, gaining his wife’s attention. “Perhaps you could write to Harry asking if he could bring the children for a visit? We could make it into a family gathering?”

Molly’s face lit up and she nodded ecstatically as she rushed into the living room for paper and quill. When she came back she’d already sealed the letter and handed it to him to post.

“Are you alright, dear?” he asked as he frowned at her.

“I’m fine, everything’s fine. I’ll have my babies soon,” she mumbled as she resumed her pacing. 

Maybe Ginny’s incarceration had pushed her over the edge? He frowned as an idea occurred to him. With Harry’s job, it wouldn’t be easy for him to care for the children _and_ work at the same time. If Harry allowed the children to remain here, then he wouldn’t have to worry about who was caring for them.

And Molly would then settle down and be her normal self?

He knew she and Ginny had become close the last few months since Harry had kicked Ginny out, but he didn’t think it was that bad. He’d see what he could do to help Molly get used to Ginny being gone, even if it was at the expense of Harry’s relationship with his children.

* * *

Harry stopped by Miranda’s room the next morning. He’d spent most of the night tossing and turning, worrying about her, or was kept awake by dreams of being chased or attacked. He was tired, but he was used to that. He pushed it back, knowing his kids needed him to be strong for them.

Snape was there.

Harry didn’t think the older man had had any more sleep than he had. “Any changes?” he asked softly when he was close enough. He didn’t want to wake Miranda up. She needed the rest.

Snape sighed and shook his head. “They gave her a potion to keep her asleep along with another potion that I still have yet to identify. They shouldn’t have worked this way. I don’t understand it.”

“Could it be because her metabolism is different from ours? I remember once, not long after I started Hogwarts, I gave her a healing salve when she cut herself. Instead of helping, it burned her.”

Snape looked up at him in surprise. “That might be. It’s rare, but possible. I’ll have to check.” He rose to his feet. “You say it burned her?”

Harry nodded. “Her older brother rushed her to the hospital.” At Snape’s blank look, he sighed. “The same thing as St Mungo’s. She ended up with second degree burns and it left a slight scar. It’s barely noticeable on her left arm.”

Snape looked at her left arm and sure enough, there was a slight scar. His eyes narrowed as he realized what that meant. It severely limited what he could and couldn’t do. “She’s stable for now, but it’s still too early to say if she’ll pull through. And if she does, there’s no telling how she’ll recover.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Harry asked hopefully, sitting at the foot of the bed.

Snape shook his head. “There’s nothing anyone can do right now, but wait.” He turned and walked out of the room. _Probably to get some rest_ , Harry thought before turning to look at Miranda. Suddenly he felt little hands on his knee. He looked down to see James standing beside him.

“Will she be alright, Dad?”

“I hope so,” Harry murmured, running his fingers through the boy’s hair. “Let’s go get breakfast.”

* * *

Later that day, Harry sat with a cup of tea in front of him, waiting patiently for Dudley to show up. He’d let Draco know what he was intending to do, just so he wouldn’t worry. Now he was wondering if he was doing the right thing, opening himself to maybe more abuse from his relatives.

He looked up when the bell above the door rang as the door opened and had to look again.

“Dudley?” he asked in surprise. The last time he’d seen his cousin, he’d been the size of a small whale. This man did _not_ look like a whale. In fact he was real slim.

“Harry,” Dudley said as he slid in the seat across from Harry. “Tea, please,” he murmured when the waitress came bustling over with a notepad in her hand. She nodded and walked away, still chewing noisily on her gum.

They looked at each other for a few more minutes before Dudley opened his mouth to talk. “You’re looking good, Harry. How’ve you been?”

“Alright, I guess,” Harry murmured before taking a sip from his cup. “You?”

“I’m good,” Dudley said with a small smile which faltered a little as he looked down at the table. He sat back as the waitress placed his cup of tea in front of him before leaving them alone. “Listen, I wanted to apologize for the way I acted when I was younger. I know I was a right bastard towards you. I even remember doing the same thing to Miranda when she’d come around.”

Harry nodded and didn’t say anything, listening to Dudley talk. At least he didn’t expect anything from Harry.

“She looked good when she came by looking for you. How is she?” Dudley asked, an eager look on his face.

“She’s not doing too good right now. Dudley, what’s this all about?” Harry asked, frowning down at his cup.

“Sorry to hear that,” Dudley murmured as he, too, looked at his cup. “I need your help, Harry. I think my kids might be like you,” he said with a helpless shrug.

Harry’s eyes darkened at the words. “You mean little freaks?” he bit out bitterly, unable to help himself. He squashed the guilt he felt when he saw Dudley flinch at the word ‘freak’.

“No, I realize how wrong we were for treating you like we did when you were growing up and there’s nothing I can do to change that, but I’m trying to change for my kids’ sakes. Please, Harry, I really need help. I don’t know who else to turn to.” Dudley was looking at him with a weary look in his eyes before he sighed and shook his head. “Sorry for disturbing you,” he said, his shoulders slumping dejectedly before he got up to leave.

Sighing, Harry rubbed at his forehead as he watched his cousin walking away. Did he really think Dudley’s children deserved to go through what he’d been through? “Dudley, wait,” he called out and watched as his cousin turned to look at him in surprise, like he wasn’t daring to hope Harry would give him a chance.

“Sit down. Let’s talk,” Harry murmured, gesturing towards the chair Dudley had just vacated.

With a grateful smile, Dudley slid back into his chair.

* * *

“So how did it go?” Draco asked as they sat outside with the children running around the gardens.

Harry frowned as he thought back on the reunion with Dudley and his family. “Surprisingly enough, it went well,” Harry murmured softly, shaking his head at the thought of such a thing happening. “It seems his children have inherited the magic he didn’t get. I went with him to his house and tested them, and sure enough, they can do magic.”

“How did you determine that?” Draco asked with an arched brow.

“I had them perform a simple spell using my wand.” He smiled at the incredulous look on Draco’s face. “I did it with the boys when they reached a certain age. It told me if they’d be able to do magic like we do or not.”

“Are you mental?” Draco asked as he leaned forward to look at Harry to see if he was being serious.

Harry shrugged slightly. “I’ve often wondered that when I was growing up, but no, I’m quite sane. So, now Dudley wants me to take him to Diagon Alley so he can open a vault for his children. Figures it would be a good time to start.”

“And you’re going to do it?”

“Why not? He’s the only real family I have and the kids deserve to know their cousins. I’d rather they know their family than not. Do you mind if I invite them over for an evening sometime?” He’d told Dudley he had to talk to Draco when his cousin had asked to come for a visit, that he wasn’t living in his own home at the moment.

Draco sat back, frowning hard. Did he really want muggles in his home? He sighed as he realized he’d already broken some of his own rules by allowing a Weasley onto the Malfoy grounds, why not muggles, too? They were, after all, Harry’s family. “Fine. When?”

“How about next week? It’ll give Dudley time to come to terms with coming into the Wizarding world,” Harry suggested, knowing Draco was not happy with having any muggles in his home. That he was accommodating Harry and his family even though he didn’t really have to. They were, after all, guests in his home. He smiled gratefully when Draco nodded without a word. “Thank you.”

“Ginny told me it was Harry’s fault that she got Marked, that some men took her from the airport when she was going to Paris for some time away from the family, to clear her head,” Molly told Bill and Charlie, who had come to the Burrow to visit. “As soon as he noticed it, he kicked her out and tried to turn the boys against her. She didn’t even have time to explain that she wasn’t one of them, that she only had the Mark. He wouldn’t listen.”

Bill frowned, looking down at his cup. “But, Mum, that doesn’t really sound like Harry,” he said as he looked up at his mother and brother.

“It’s been what? Seven years? Who knows what he thinks anymore. That kind of pressure on a teenager can affect the mind no matter what age you are,” Charlie murmured thoughtfully. “I don’t know. Maybe the kids are in danger if he’s willing to turn on Ginny after all their years of marriage.”

Molly nodded emphatically. “I’ve invited them over for supper. I need you both here. If we show a united front, he’ll have to listen to reason,” she told them. Neither noticed how crazed Molly’s eyes had become. She wanted her babies and he would give them to her! “You’re father’s going to go to the courts if he doesn’t agree.”

Bill looked at her in surprise. “You’d go that far?” he asked, shocked.

“In order to save them, yes.”

He went back to frowning into his cup, like it would tell him what to do. He didn’t think Fleur was going to like this. Not one bit. “We’ll be here for supper, Mum,” he murmured, figuring he’d see how tonight went before making a decision. “Have you talked to Ron and George?”

“Not yet, but they’ll be here after work and I’ll talk to them then,” Molly said with a look of triumph.

* * *

Miranda had woken up that morning and Snape was more than a little relieved when she did. She was weak, he knew, and there was nothing he could do for her but wait and see what would happen.

Snape was spending a lot of time with her… _only to gauge the effects the potions had caused, of course_ , he told himself.

The only one who seemed fooled was him. 

“Hello, Severus. Back again so soon?” Miranda murmured as she blinked tiredly up at him.

“How are you this afternoon?” he asked as he took his customary chair, settling in for a long discussion.

She shrugged indifferently. “Not much different from this morning. I’m still in pain and weak. I barely have an appetite and even if I had one, I don’t have the energy to eat.”

Snape frowned as he looked at her. “You have to try and eat something otherwise you might get sicker than you are now.”

Miranda closed her eyes and sighed. “I know, and I try, honestly I try, but it takes so much out of me.”

“What if we tried some soups? Something that’s still nourishing, but doesn’t require much chewing,” Snape said after a few minutes of thinking. He watched as she nodded and wondered if he was ever going to cure her of whatever it was that the potions were doing to her.

“I was also wondering who changed my clothes,” she asked curiously, opening her eyes to look at him. He would’ve thought she’d look at least a little offended, but it seemed she didn’t really have the energy to be.

“I did, when I brought you here. I figured you wouldn’t want to stay in the wet clothes you were in.” He watched her reaction closely without making it apparent that he was. He saw the flash of surprise that lit her eyes, and was surprised when she didn’t get mad.

“Makes sense,” she murmured as she closed her eyes with another soft sigh.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he let the silence lapse for a few minutes.

“That I’m tired of being tired and sick,” she murmured with a small smile. “But that’s not what you meant is it?”

He felt his lips twitch at her humor. “No.”

“If you’re wondering if I’m mad that you undressed me, let me tell you, I don’t really like it, but I understand that I wasn’t in any shape to do it myself. So, no, I’m not mad at you for undressing and washing me.”

He nodded slightly, not commenting. At least she was in better humor than he’d expected her to be. He knew if it was him, he’d have been furious. He also realized that not once since she’d woken up had she even complained about being limited to bed rest. Of course it wasn’t like she could do anything about it. He had to help her to the loo, after all. 

When he looked at her closer, he realized that she’d fallen asleep again, and wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. It meant either she was healing or getting worse and without being able to use his wand, he couldn’t even check to see.

With a sigh, he rose to his feet and left the room to run some tests on the blood samples he’d taken from her. Time to get back to work.


	16. Family Reunion?

Chapter 16 – Family Reunion? 

Harry waited at the Malfoy Manor gates for Dudley and his family. Dudley had decided to take a taxi to the Manor, since he didn’t want to subject his family to the terrifying experience of Flooing. Harry found it hilarious, but that was his cousin’s choice. 

He didn’t have to wait long and smiled as the car came to a stop. Opening the door, he helped Dudley’s wife out, smiling welcomingly. The kids bounded out excitedly. “Hello again Catherine and Bradley. How are you today?” 

“Fine,” they answered, smiling up at him. “Are your kids here too?” 

Laughing, he waited patiently as Dudley paid the driver. “Yes, they’re waiting impatiently for you guys to show up. Let’s just wait for your dad, first,” he told them with a wink before looking at Dudley’s wife. “It’s nice to meet you, Susan. I’m glad you could come.” 

She smiled at him and shook the hand he held out. “Thanks for inviting us. Is this where you live?” she asked, taking in all the trees around the gate, trying to see if she could see the Manor. 

“No, this is a friend’s house. He’s just letting us stay here for a while.” 

When Dudley was done, he motioned for them to follow him through the gates. The kids ran ahead of them as they took in all the different colors in the gardens strategically place around the yard. “Oh my,” he heard Susan gasp from behind him as they finally saw the Manor. 

“We’ll go through the Manor to the back yard,” he told them as he opened the front door. Once in the back yard, he watched as Dudley’s kids hesitated as they spotted the other four kids. “Go play,” Harry murmured encouragingly as he pushed them gently toward the others. 

They looked up at him uncertainly before looking at each other. Shrugging, they walked over to them and it wasn’t long before they were playing together. Smiling, Harry led Dudley and Susan over to the table. 

“Dudley, Susan, I’d like you to meet Draco Malfoy. He’s been kind enough to allow us to use his house as a meeting place for tonight.” 

Draco stood and shook hands with them, smiling politely. “Tea?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Yes, please,” Susan murmured as she sat down. 

Thus began the strangest day Harry had had in a long time. Draco was being the perfect host, making small talk with both Dudley and Susan. 

After they left, Harry shook his head as he sat in the living room with the children quietly playing chess on one side of the room. “What’s wrong?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Nothing,” he murmured as he shook his head again. “I just can’t believe I actually had an afternoon without having to worry about what Dudley was going to do to get me in trouble. It was definitely different.” 

Draco smirked in amusement. “That’s alright. Going to Diagon Alley with him tomorrow should be just as entertaining as today.” 

Harry laughed as he realized this was going to be a culture shock for Dudley. “So I take it this means you’re coming with me tomorrow, then?” 

“Are you kidding? I’m not going to miss this. Besides, I have to check in with my staff.” 

* * *

Harry started worrying about Dudley’s mental health. He was pale and his eyes were bugged out. “Are you alright, Dudley?” 

“Um… yeah,” he whispered in shock. 

Draco smirked in amusement. “Harry, I’ll see you back at the house. I have to go.” 

“Alright,” Harry murmured as he led Dudley over the café, figuring he needed time to get used to the entire bustle. He ordered them tea and waited for his cousin to come back to himself, trying not to laugh as Dudley would blink before looking back out at all the people dressed in Wizarding and muggle clothes. 

“Drink your tea, Dudley,” Harry murmured, bringing attention to the cup in front of him. 

Dudley took it with a dazed expression. They were almost done their tea when his cousin finally shook off his shock. “Thanks, Harry. For all the help you’re giving me.” 

“You’re welcome,” Harry murmured softly. “Are you ready to try this again?” 

Dudley took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m going to have to get used to this sooner or later. Might as well do it now.” 

Harry laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s go.” 

* * *

Draco approached Harry later that day as he sat lost in thought. Dudley had gone home shortly after their trip to Diagon Alley which had been a few hours ago. “Mind if I join you?” he asked politely. 

“Not at all. What’s up?” he asked, watching his children play with Rebecca in the garden. He was amazed that when she was by herself with grown-ups, she seemed older than she was, but when she was with other kids, she was just as she was – a kid. 

“Mr. Westrum sent some papers for you to sign. Said there was no rush. Especially since Ginny’s in Azkaban. Also you have a few letters from the Weasleys.” Draco placed them on the table beside Harry. 

“Ah,” Harry said with a nod. He’d wondered when they’d be coming. He didn’t really look forward to reading them, though he knew one of them was likely to be from Mrs. Weasley. Picking up the first one, he decided he might as well get it over with. 

Opening it, he shook his head as he saw that he was right. Mrs. Weasley had indeed written to him and of course she began by berating him over Ginny’s incarceration. Like it was his fault she’d joined the Death Eaters in the first place. 

_Harry,_

_How could you do that to Ginny? After all she’s done for you? She’s the mother of your children. How could you betray us like this? Isn’t it enough that you took and hid her children from her? Or that you kicked her out of her home?_

_We need to talk and I need to see my grandchildren. Everyone will be here tonight for supper. Bring them over then so we can all visit._

_Molly_

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Harry muttered, throwing the letter on the table and picking up the next one. 

“May I read it?” Draco asked, wondering just what the older woman could say to upset Harry. 

Harry gestured for him to go ahead as he read. Letter after letter, seemed to be along the same line. Except for one. 

George. 

He wasn’t sure if it was because George knew what he’d gone through that made him sympathetic to Harry’s plight or that Harry had been there when Fred had died and comforted George when he needed it. Harry was glad that, in his letter, George said he would be there to help him. 

He heard Draco snort as he dropped the letter on the table. “You’d think you were the one to put the Dark Mark on Ginny’s arm. I don’t envy your visit tonight.” 

“Gee thanks,” Harry muttered as he rubbed his forehead. “I guess they have a right to see the kids. They _are_ , after all, family.” 

* * *

Miranda smiled when Harry walk into her room, and realized that he was dressed up, Lily balance on his hip, also dressed in a beautiful dress. “Where are you going?” she asked in surprise, smiling as she looked at the little girl with the pony tails in her hair. 

“Molly _requested_ we come over for supper tonight.” He shrugged indifferently, but she could tell he was nervous. 

When Harry frowned at her, she knew he could tell she was sweating. Lunch had been easier to eat, but she still hadn’t eaten as much as Snape would’ve liked, but had kept quiet. “Don’t worry about me,” she murmured when he opened his mouth to say something. “I just don’t feel good. I just need sleep.” 

“I’ll check on you when I come back,” he promised as he leaned down, carefully holding on to Lily and kissed her forehead. 

Miranda smiled and tweaked Lily’s nose playfully, smile widening when the little girl giggled. “Be good,” she whispered. The little girl nodded, reaching out to pat Miranda’s cheek before Harry straightened up. 

* * *

_This is going to be a long night_ , Harry thought as he made sure the boys were cleaned and dressed properly. Any criticism from the Weasley matriarch would only compound the fight he knew the family would put up. He also had the feeling that they were going to pull something tonight that was going to involve the children. 

He was determined not to let them try anything. He might have to put up with their nagging, for the kids, but he wasn’t going to make it difficult for them to enjoy visiting family. 

He expected Molly to pick on the fact that Ginny was in Azkaban. That was a given. What else were they going to pull on him? That’s what he was worried about. 

He took both their little hands in his, holding Lily in his other arm. Apparating was faster and the kids wouldn’t get dirty like they would if they Flooed. 

Less ammunition for the Weasleys to use. 

He had an idea what Molly wanted. He just hoped she wouldn’t ask. 

“I want you to behave tonight and listen to what I say, alright?” Harry asked them. 

“Yes, Dad,” they said in unison. Maybe they could sense something was up. One second they were in the Manor foyer and the next they were outside the Burrow. 

Molly obviously had been watching because she rushed outside to hug the boys with a big smile on her face. Harry smiled at them as they began to talk all at once. This was something he couldn’t deny his kids. He’d grown up without a family who loved him, he didn’t want the same for them. 

“Hello, Molly. How are you?” he asked gently as he got closer. 

“Harry,” Molly murmured before she hugged him, though he felt her hesitation, almost like she was going through the motions of welcoming him. He felt a sharp pang of regret for the ease they’d once had. “I’m alright. How are you guys holding up?” 

“The kids miss Ginny, but it’s to be expected.” Harry looked at Molly’s face. “I hope you know I didn’t want this, Molly. No matter what our problems were, I loved Ginny.” 

Molly sighed and relaxed in Harry’s arms. “I know, Harry. You’re not the kind of person to try and do things like this.” 

“Do you want to hold Lily?” he asked with a tentative smile on his face, hoping all would be alright between them now. Molly smiled and held out her arms for the baby who cooed at Molly. 

Inside, Harry watched as the boys ran from one person to another, loudly greeting their uncles and grandfather. All the Weasleys seemed to be there, which was a little surprising, considering they didn’t get together unless it was a special occasion. 

Like weddings. 

The tension that had left his body after talking to Molly returned full force and reinforcing the feeling that they were up to something. Only time would tell. 

* * *

Supper was over and the kids were playing cards with George, laughing and having fun. Harry had Lily on his shoulder, sleeping soundly. 

“Harry,” Mr. Weasley started, the look on his face unreadable, which was strange since he was always open with his thoughts. “I want to ask you something.” 

“Yes, sir?” Harry asked, tensing when he sensed the uneasiness. Were they going to ask what he thought they would? 

“Molly and I were thinking about it and, with your work schedule being what it is at the Ministry, maybe you should let us have the kids.” 

Yup, exactly what he was thinking they would ask. “As much as I appreciate the offer, Arthur, I’d rather not. “

The older man cleared his throat and looked uncomfortably at his tea cup. “I was hoping to avoid this, but if I have to, I’ll petition for custody. All the courts have to do is look at your history and they’ll side with us as being more suitable to raise them.” He stopped in surprise when his cup cracked in two and looked at Harry. 

Harry was _furious_. He’d know this was going to be their tactic but had hoped he would be wrong. He knew they were hurting since Ginny was put in Azkaban, but that didn’t justify what they were trying to do. He couldn’t believe Arthur of all people would do this to him. What was wrong with them!? “Just because I lost Ginny to the Death Eaters doesn’t make me a bad person, Arthur. James, Sirius, it’s time we left.” 

James and Sirius had stopped playing, looking from their father to their grandfather, wondering what was going on, but they got up anyway without a word. Harry rose to his feet, determined to leave, but the Weasleys closed rank… except for George. Ron refused to meet his gaze when he looked at him. 

“You can go, Harry, but the boys and Lily stay here,” Mr. Weasley said, his look firm. “Charlie, bring the boys over here.” 

“No, Dad. I’m not helping you railroad Harry into giving up the only family he has,” George said as he blocked Charlie’s path, standing between him and the Potter boys. 

“What are you doing, George? He’s the reason Ginny is where she is,” Charlie said, a look of surprise on his face. 

“Actually,” Ron said with a sigh as he rose and joined Harry and George, making the choice of standing with his life-long friend. He knew Harry would have done the same for him had the circumstances been reversed. How could he do any less? “Ginny’s the reason she’s where she is, Charlie.” 

“What are you talking about?” Molly demanded angrily. 

Ron threw a book on the table. 

All eyes followed its path through the air and slide on the table until it stopped. “Ginny’s diary? What were you doing with that?” Molly asked, confused. 

“It must’ve got packed with my stuff when I moved out,” Ron told them. “I found it a couple of days ago and read it, thinking it was a book Hermione had left here before she disappeared. In it, Ginny says that all she ever wanted since she heard about Voldemort being stopped by the ‘boy who lived’ was to marry him. Whoever he was. She was obsessed with it.” 

“And?” Charlie asked, frowning. 

Ron sighed impatiently. “At the time she wrote it, she didn’t know who Harry was. When Harry and I became friends she was ecstatic. It fit with her plans better than she’d hoped. After second year, when Harry saved her in the Chamber of Secrets, her obsession kicked into over-drive. She was even jealous of Hermione, who was more like a sister to Harry than a girlfriend. When we started the DA club, Ginny joined because she figured she’d be able to get Harry alone easier and put her plan into action.” 

“What plan?” George asked, watching everyone closely. 

“To get Harry to fall in love with her. She wrote about how furious she was when Cho beat her to it. She also wrote something else about that year…” Ron hesitated as he looked back at Harry. 

“What did she write, Ron?” Harry asked, though he had an idea what it was Ron was hesitating about. 

“She went to Voldemort and took the Dark Mark. In return he was going to erase your memory and cast a love spell on you so she’d have her wish. Her assignment to get in was to lead Hermione into an ambush. They had planned to turn Hermione against you, Harry. Voldemort knew that she was important to you. How else to get at you than through someone you loved?” 

Harry felt numb. 

“Lies!” Molly yelled angrily. “You’re lying!” 

“I wish I was, Mum,” Ron said sadly. 

“I have to go home,” Harry said numbly and turned towards the boys. 

“You can’t take them!” Molly screeched as she came around the table to block Harry. “They’re mine!” 

Frightened, the boys ran around Ron and to their father. “I’m sorry, Molly,” Harry murmured as they put their little hands in his. He Apparated away with the vision of Molly trying to get around Ron and George, face twisted in hatred. 

“What was wrong with Grandma?” Sirius asked, shaking. 

“She’s just mad at me for not protecting your mum,” Harry murmured as he ran his fingers through the little boy’s hair. “She’s not mad at you. We’ll give her some time to cool down before we go for another visit, alright?” 

“Yes, Dad,” Sirius murmured, laying his head against Harry’s leg. 

A house-elf appeared beside them, looking hopefully up at Harry. “May I, sir?” she asked, holding out her arms for Lily. 

Harry smiled at the house-elf. “You’re going to spoil both of us, you know,” he said as he carefully handed the sleeping child to her. It was amazing how kids could sleep through anything. 

The house-elf giggled and cradled Lily against her arms. 

“What’s your name?” 

“Sasha, sir,” she said before she Apparated away. 

Harry sighed and looked down at the boys. “You can go play for a little while before bed.” Both boys looked at each other and took off running down the hall. _Probably to find Rebecca_ , Harry thought with a soft laugh. 

He decided to check on Miranda. She hadn’t been feeling well when he’d gone up to get ready earlier and he was a little worried. 

* * *

Snape was sitting with Miranda after supper, watching her sleep fitfully. Her supper still sat on the table beside the bed, barely touched. He’d told the house-elf to leave it for now, in case she woke up hungry. He frowned as he noticed the sheen of sweat on her face, and wondered at it. 

He’d come to realize that she was just as bad as Potter when it came to hiding her weaknesses. He also realized that, unless called on it, she wouldn’t admit to anything being wrong with her. 

With his frown deepening, he wondered if she got that from Potter or if Potter got that from her. Probably Potter had taught her that, especially since he’d learned from an early age that you didn’t trust adults and hid anything that was wrong with you. He wondered just what had happened to her to teach her that lesson. Had Potter’s relatives been the cause of it? Or was it someone else? 

Draco entered the room a while later. “Any changes?” he asked as he perched at the foot of the bed. 

Snape looked up at him and sighed. “I fear we may have a problem.” 

“How so?” the blonde asked, tilting his head, curiosity clear in his eyes. 

Snape ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “She may be hiding how she’s doing, and without running diagnostic scans on her, we might not know it until it’s too late. She’s just as bad as Potter when it comes to her health.” 

“You mean she’s not telling you when something is wrong with her. Is that why she’s sweating like it was a hundred degrees in here?” Draco asked, frowning as he noticed her shirt was soaked and stuck to her skin. 

“Yes. Potter might have been tight lipped about what was wrong with him, but he couldn’t hide it from the scans. I’m afraid that if I do any kind of scans on her, it might just kill her,” Snape murmured as he noticed the slight tremors going through Miranda’s body and the slight frown on her face. 

“What did the blood sample tell you?” Draco asked after a few minutes of silence. 

“It seems that she’s in a kind of meta-morphing state.” At Draco’s blank look, he sighed impatiently. “Whatever they gave her is changing her from the inside out. I’m just not sure what this will bring.” 

“Is it dangerous for her?” Draco asked in surprise. Snape knew the blonde had never heard of anyone being changed because of a potion before, and neither had he… until Potter had pointed out the scar on Miranda’s arm. Now he knew it was possible. 

“Unfortunately, I don’t know enough yet to determine what it’ll do to her. She’s a unique case.” He snorted at his own words, knowing how much of an understatement that was. He was going to have to do some research on this. It couldn’t be an isolated incident. Somewhere in history, there had to have been someone who’d encountered this type of problem before. He just had to look for it. 

He looked back at Miranda and realized that the tremors had increased and that her jaw was clenched tightly. He had just enough time to rise before, with a moan of pain, she began to convulse on the bed. Moving quickly, he pushed her shoulders down, stopping her from hurting herself.


	17. Interesting Revelations

Chapter 17 – Interesting Revelations 

Harry decided to check on Miranda. She hadn’t been feeling well when he’d gone up to get ready earlier and he was a little worried. 

When he got to her room, he was surprised to see both Snape and Draco in the room. Snape seemed to be pinning her to the bed. “What’s going on?” 

Draco looked over at him for a minute before turning his attention back to Miranda. “She began convulsing a few seconds ago and Severus is trying to stop her from hurting herself.” 

Harry hurried over to the bed to see for himself. He remembered something he’d watched once on the television. “Move,” he ordered Snape as he pulled the belt from around his waist. Folding it in half, he forced it into her mouth so she wouldn’t crush her teeth as she clenched her jaw as Snape moved out of the way. 

Brushing her hair out of her face, he was surprised at the heat coming off her. “Start the shower. Cold water only,” he ordered as he yanked the blankets off her. Confused, Draco hurried over to the bathroom and turned the cold water on. 

Carefully but quickly picking her up, Harry carried her into the shower, walking in, clothes and all. 

“What the hell are you doing, Potter?” Snape demanded angrily. He’d been trying to help her, but without using his potions, he was limited in what he could do for her. 

“We have to bring her temperature down. It’s what’s causing her seizure,” Harry told him as he held her against his chest, facing the water, feet on the floor. 

“And how do you know this?” 

“I remember Dudley and his friends watching this show on the television when I was young. They were laughing at someone convulsing because of a high fever. The only way to stop it is to cool down the person with cold water.” 

Snape’s eyebrow rose at that. He had no idea what a television was, but it made sense to bring down a fever with cold water. 

By the time Miranda relaxed in Harry’s arms, Harry couldn’t feel his arms anymore. Draco shut off the water as Snape took her from him, ignoring the belt that had fallen on the floor when the seizure had stopped. “That was quick thinking, Harry,” Draco murmured. 

“Go take a hot shower, Potter, before you come down with a cold. One sick patient is enough at the moment,” Snape muttered as he walked away from the two men, a house-elf waiting patiently for them to leave so she could change Miranda’s clothes. 

“Come on,” Draco murmured with a smirk, gesturing for Harry to precede him. “I’ll follow you.” 

“Yes, sir,” Harry murmured, a smile twitching his lips and both men walked out of the bedroom. 

Snape ignored them as he walked back into the bathroom for a couple of towels. He wrapped one around her hair and helped the house-elf take the clothes off, hoping this would be the end of it, that her fever would break without trouble now. 

His hands froze when he opened her shirt and saw something that looked like a rash beginning just above her left breast. He frowned and looked closer at it, wondering what was causing it… then realized it was exactly where the potion had soaked into her shirt that day. Did this mean that everywhere it had touched her would blister? 

Reaching into the kit he kept in her room, he reached for a jar of Aloe, hoping she wouldn’t react to it. Time would tell. 

Once the shirt was off her, he put it on the chair and cast a drying spell on it before putting it on her again. Once dressed, he began to towel dry her hair, sitting on the side of the bed. He wished he could use his wand to dry it, but didn’t think it fair to send her into a fit just because it was faster. He forgot about house-elf magic not affecting her as he patiently dried her hair. 

When he was done, her hair was only slightly damp. Pulling the material away from her, he checked on the cream and was pleasantly surprised to see the rash beginning to lessen. It seemed it wasn’t everything that was affecting her negatively, at least. 

He pressed a hand to her forehead and cursed as he felt the heat building up again. _I guess this means another cold shower is in order_ , Snape thought as he watched the trembling start again. Taking off his outer robes, he picked her up once more and walked towards the bathroom. 

* * *

Draco followed Harry to his room. And helped the other take his shirt off when he saw Harry was having a hard time moving his fingers. “So, how did your evening go?” 

Harry snorted. “About as bad as I expected it to.” 

Draco’s eyebrow rose at that cryptic answer. “How so?” 

“The Weasleys want to take my kids from me,” Harry told him through chattering teeth. 

Draco’s eyebrows shot up. “And they expected you to… what? _Agree_ to this?” Harry nodded and tried unsuccessfully to unbutton his pants. Draco sighed and pushed his frozen fingers aside to unbutton them. “Get into the shower. I’ll leave the door open so we can talk.” 

When Harry went into the bathroom, Draco watched him without letting the other man know. He wanted to sigh at the sight of that beautiful body, but was afraid that Harry would ask what was wrong or catch him sneaking looks at him. The knowledge of the Horcrux had thrown him momentarily, but then he’d come to the realization that it didn’t matter. It had happened a long time ago and didn’t affect the future. 

Besides, now wasn’t the time to reveal his intentions to the other man. He had to ask him a few questions first. “So what happened when you refused?” Draco asked after he’d settled himself on the doorjamb, resisting the urge to peek inside and catch a closer glimpse of Harry’s naked body. 

Harry groaned blissfully as heat hit him. “Surprisingly enough, not all the family is against me. Molly wanted Charlie to bring the boys to her, but George actually stood between us and the rest of the Weasley clan.” 

“I’m sure _that_ went down well,” Draco said with a snort. 

Harry laughed bitterly. “I’m sure he won’t be hearing the end of it. Surprisingly enough Ron actually stood up to his family as well. Apparently when he moved out he ended up with one of Ginny’s old diaries.” Harry frowned and turned to look at Draco. All he could see was his hair and right shoulder and arm. “I found something else out tonight.” 

“What’s that?” Draco asked as he leaned his head back. 

“Ginny didn’t get the Dark Mark from Hermione. She got it from Voldemort.” 

Forgetting his resolve to not look in, Draco turned to look at Harry, surprise clear on his face. “What?” 

Harry nodded. “Her assignment was to deliver Hermione into his hands. It explains how he got hold of her from inside a protected house.” 

“I wonder if Severus knew,” Draco murmured, frowning thoughtfully. “We’ll have to ask him in the morning.” 

Harry turned the water off and took the towel a house-elf had placed beside the shower door. 

When Draco realized he was following the path the towel was drying, he wrenched himself around and settled back against the doorjamb. “I didn’t think Weasley had it in him to actually stand up to his family. How did you get out with the kids?” 

“It took both Ron and George to stop Molly from launching at the boys. I think she scared the shit out of them. I’ve never seen them that afraid when we were at the Burrow. Arthur wants to petition for custody. They want to use my job as an excuse,” Harry said with a laugh. “If they only knew that this makes my decision easier.” 

Draco looked over his shoulder, puzzled. “What decision?” 

“Leave my job to take care of my kids. Kingsley isn’t going to be happy, but I don’t really care.” Harry walked out of the bathroom, towel around his waist. 

Draco looked at him incredulously before he started laughing. “I’d like to see their faces when they hear this.” 

Harry waggled his eyebrows mischievously. “This should be interesting, especially since my letter will be delivered in about an hour or so to my head of department.” He gestured to the writing desk where a letter lay on top. 

“You already had it written?” Draco asked, surprised. He hadn’t thought Harry would leave his job so willingly. 

“In all honesty, it’s been written for a few days now. I just wasn’t sure if I wanted it delivered,” Harry said with a shrug. “Can you see that it’s sent off for me while I get dressed?” 

“You should’ve been in Slytherin, Harry. With a mind like yours you might have rivaled even me,” Draco murmured as he walked over to the table. 

Harry frowned at that. “That’s what the Sorting Hat told me first year.” 

Draco looked at him, wondering if the surprises would ever end with this man. “So then why were you in Gryffindor?” 

“Because I was told that those who ended up in Slytherin were all bad, that no good had ever come out of that house.” Harry shrugged regretfully at the look on Draco’s face. “What can I say, Dumbledore interfered from an early stage.” 

“I think if I’d been brought up in the Wizarding world, I might have been better prepared for what I got tossed into. All this was alien to me back then. Now I know differently.” Harry walked into the closet to dress. 

Draco shook his head. This man never ceased to amaze him. He’d put his animosity with Draco behind him without a second thought, and now he was admitting that he should’ve been in Slytherin. 

Wow. 

“How about we have supper together tomorrow? Just you and me?” he asked before he could chicken out of it. 

Harry’s head popped out to look at him in surprise before he thought about it. “Sure,” he said with his typical manner, shrugging one shoulder before he disappeared into the closet again. 

Draco shook his head at him, a smile on his lips as he left Harry to get dressed. He had a letter to mail. 

* * * 

Draco stood in the door of the gardens, watching Harry playing with his two boys, a house-elf standing not far from the playpen where the little girl slept peacefully. It was funny how he always seemed to be watching Harry, first at school as he studied or played with his friends, and now. Maybe he could change that tonight. 

He had a sudden flashback to their school days. He remembered watching Harry studying in the library, either with or without his friends, Quidditch practice with his team mates… and all without the other boy knowing about it. 

He had managed to talk the man into having dinner with him… without the children. No mean feat, considering their history, but he hoped to change that tonight. 

* * *

Harry was glad that his day had gone as good as it had. 

As he’d expected, Kingsley had _not_ been happy to hear of Harry’s resignation. He’d paid them a visit that morning demanding answers. He’d gone into the study with Harry, angry, and had come out – well, not exactly happy – understanding Harry’s reason. 

He’d shaken Harry’s hand and had promised to put a stop to the Weasleys’ interference. 

Next had come the letter from the courts, stating that a petition had been brought to their attention about Harry’s children. It also told him that, because of lack of evidence, it would be disregarded. 

Harry shook his head sadly. He hadn’t wanted this. The ones it was really punishing were the kids. He couldn’t let them visit the Weasleys, couldn’t trust that they wouldn’t try something to get their way. If they wanted to visit, they’d have to do it where they could be supervised. 

Pushing the thought away, Harry made his way up the stairs, actually looking forward to having supper with Draco. The kids had been fed and a house-elf was looking after them. He’d been assured that all would be taken care of and he didn’t need to worry about anything. 

He had just enough time for a quick shower before eating his own supper, but first he wanted to check on Miranda. He hoped she wasn’t too lonely. Over the last few days, she’d been confined to her bed. Any kind of exertion would just tire her out, even walking. To say he was worried was an understatement. 

When he reached Miranda’s door, he was surprised to hear voices coming from inside. Taking a quick peek inside, he smiled when he recognized Snape’s robes peeking around the edge of the chair. He pulled back before they realized he was there and continued on to his room to ready himself for his night with Draco. 

Her fever had broken sometime in the night, after a couple more cold showers, and now she was finally awake. 

Alban was waiting in his room, an outfit laid out for him on the bed. “Master Harry best hurry or he’ll be late,” Harry heard as he made his way to the bathroom. 

“I know, Alban, thank you. I’m going to go as fast as I can,” he said as he quickly disrobed and got into the shower. Realistically, he shouldn’t be looking forward to having supper with Draco. It _was_ only supper. It wasn’t like they were going out on a _date_ after all. 

Harry stopped lathering as he thought about that. Wasn’t it? If it had been a girl he was going out to dinner with, he would have labeled it as a date. He shook his head at himself as he continued washing. It was only dinner and if he didn’t hurry, he’d be late. 

 

In no time at all, he was dressed and heading downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs, a house-elf was waiting to lead him to where Draco was waiting for him. He was led to a room he’d never been in before. It was smaller, more… intimate, you could say. 

Harry was surprised at the room. It was dimly lit but he could see Draco standing at the only window in the room. When he entered, Draco turned to look at him with a small smile on his face. “Shall we sit?” 

Harry smiled back and nodded. 

Throughout the meal, they talked about things that didn’t really matter. It was a chance to just unwind and not think about what was happening around them. He knew they’d eventually have to talk about it, but he didn’t want to break the good mood they were in just yet. 

After dessert, they made their way to the living room. Draco poured them each a drink. Standing at the fireplace, Draco turned to look at Harry, and the look on his face made Harry a little apprehensive, though it didn’t stop him from going to stand beside the fireplace with Draco. “We need to talk,” he began and Harry wondered if he’d done something wrong. 

“About?” He realized then that Draco seemed to be a little nervous. What could he be nervous about? 

* * *

Snape woke up, wondering what time it was and realized that Miranda was frowning at him. “What?” he asked as he blinked, an eyebrow raising in amusement as he watched her frown deepened. 

“You know, something’s bothering me, Professor. Harry told me you were bitten by what’s his name’s snake. How _did_ you survive the snake bite?” she asked, eyes narrowing as if she thought he would hedge the question. 

Snape blinked at her for a few seconds as the unexpected question registered. He’d expected a question about what was happening to her, not this. He smirked at her vague description of the Dark Lord. “You mean Voldemort?” he asked, his amusement rising as she glared at him for hedging. 

“Whatever,” she growled with a dismissive wave of her hand, making him chuckle softly. 

“The old Headmaster, Dumbledore was many things, meddler, old, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew that the Dark Lord would want complete control over his wand if it ever came to light that Dumbledore had the Elder wand. When Arthur Weasley was attacked by the snake the last time, he had me take a sample of the venom and make a cure with it. I knew when the Dark Lord summoned me during the battle that he was probably going to try something, so I took the serum with me. After the Dark Lord left, I simply drank it. Then Potter and his friends came in. When they thought I was dead, I was really only frozen for a few seconds. I came to just after they were gone. I tended to my wounds as best I could and Apparated back to Spinner's End to recuperate.” 

“And no one was the wiser?” she asked incredulously. 

“Not until I contacted Draco a few weeks after the war. With his help, I made contact inside the Ministry and cleared my name.” Snape shrugged like it was no big deal. He left out the fact that he’d had to go through some intense questioning before they believed him, but she didn’t need to know that. 

No one needed to know that right now. Maybe some other time. “Also, you might want to tease Mr. Potter later,” he told her with an amused smirk. 

“Why’s that?” she asked in surprise. 

Doing a quick _Tempus_ , his smirk grew as he saw it was almost suppertime. “Because, as we speak, he is currently on a… date,” he told her, his mouth twisting like he’d tasted something sour before he realized what he was doing, and smoothed his features, though from the smile on her face, she wasn’t fooled. “With Draco. It should be interesting how this evening turns out. I believe Draco intends to make his intentions known to Potter.” 

Miranda’s smile grew and her eyes danced in amusement. Snape blinked at her and realized this was more than likely what she looked like when she wasn’t sick. It was amazing the transformation. “Intentions?” she said with a short laugh before she hissed in pain as it jarred her body. “You make it sound like Draco is about to propose marriage to Harry,” she said after a few minutes of deep breathing. 

Snape frowned as he realized this meant she’d have to have been in extreme pain before now. He knew from experience that pain could be endured for a period of time… under the right circumstances. _I wonder what happened to teach her how to handle pain like this._

“Well, I doubt it’ll be that drastic,” he murmured as he pretended not to have noticed anything abnormal. “At least it can’t be any worse than last night.” 

“Last night?” she asked, an eyebrow rising in silent question. 

“Apparently he had an… engagement over at the Weasley household.” 

“Ah, yes. Harry came in with Lily and told me that’s where he was going. How did it go?” 

“From what Draco told me, it wasn’t good. You can ask him when you next see him. I’ll let you get some rest and see you in the morning. Try to eat some of the soup,” he told her as he pointed to the cup of soup beside her, which, thanks to a heating charm, was still nice and warm. Moving closer, he propped her up slightly and gave it to her. “Alera,” he called out. The house-elf appeared instantly, bowing low. “Stay and help Miranda until she’s ready to go to sleep.” 

“Yes, Master Snape.” 

“Eat,” he told her warningly before he walked out of the room. He had some tests to do before going to bed. He needed to check on those blood samples and see if his suspicions were correct. 

* * *

“We need to talk,” Draco began and Harry wondered if he’d done something wrong. 

“About?” He realized then that Draco seemed to be a little nervous. What could he be nervous about? 

Draco noticed that Harry was getting nervous and smiled. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing bad. I just want to ask you about something a little personal.” 

“What do you want to know?” 

He still looked weary, but there was nothing Draco could do about that. “I only want to ask you about your past relationships.” The surprise on Harry’s face was hilarious. 

“My – What?” 

“I mean did you have sex with anyone but Ginny?” Draco asked, his lips twitching. Harry’s reaction, however, surprised him. 

Harry laughed dryly. 

“How did you expect me to do that when I was under constant surveillance from Hermione and being trained to be a weapon by Dumbledore? The only time I was left alone, Hermione agreed to leave me in the Room of Requirement with Cho, though she asked me a thousand questions about it.” Harry shrugged indifferently, his tone almost disgusted. “It seemed a better idea afterwards to just keep to myself instead of looking for that kind of ‘distraction’, as they called it.” 

Draco’s eyebrows rose at his tone. “And after Voldemort was dead? There was no one?” 

“After? After I did what everyone expected me to do: I married Ginny. Everyone was sooo… happy.” Harry downed his drink quickly, almost like he was trying to drown the memory. “No else seemed to care about what I wanted. Being an Auror was my choice, though. Ginny didn’t seem to care, as long as I had a job. Now that I look back on it, she seemed almost relieved that I would be working instead of staying home. It wasn’t like I needed to work. I have enough money at Gringotts.” 

Draco frowned at Harry, wondering how the other could live such a life. Why would he let people push him into something he obviously didn’t want? He leaned forward impulsively and kissed Harry.


	18. Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 18 – Once Bitten, Twice Shy 

James snuck down the hallway with Sirius not far behind him. “Are you sure we’re not going to get caught?” Sirius whispered loudly as they reached an intersecting hallway. 

James glared back at him. “Only if you keep making noise,” he growled before looking down the opposing hallway, making sure the coast was clear before running across. If he remembered correctly, Rebecca’s room should be just down the next hallway. 

They froze when they heard a door open ahead of them and pressed themselves closer to the wall. Making a quick decision, James opened the closest door and hauled Sirius in after him, leaving the door open a crack so he could see who it was. He watched as Snape walked passed with his billowing robes. 

He counted to sixty before he opened the door wider to make sure the Potions Master was gone before they continued on. They could see Rebecca’s door ahead of them and snuck inside with a sigh of relief. 

“It’s about time you got here,” she huffed with her hands on her hips. 

“It’s not our fault!” Sirius exclaimed indignantly. “Snape almost caught us!” 

James shook his head and rolled his eyes at his little brother. “We’re here now, that’s all that matters. Dad was humming earlier, so that’s got to mean something good.” 

Rebecca’s eyebrows rose. “Your dad humming means something?” 

James shrugged. “Dad doesn’t usually hum unless he’s in a good mood, which he hasn’t done in a long time with Mum. Also, I found out from the house-elf taking care of Lily that your dad and my dad were having supper together tonight.” At the blank look on her face, he sighed. “ _Alone_.” 

“Really?” Rebecca asked incredulously. “That must mean he’s going to ask Harry if he likes him enough to give them a shot.” 

“How do you figure that?” Sirius asked, frowning in confusion. How could their dads having supper together mean that? 

“Because Dad’s been fussing since your dad’s divorce proceedings were finalized. He thinks he’s hiding it well, of course, but I know him enough to know when he’s got the hots for someone,” Rebecca said with a dismissive shrug. He hadn’t had many relationships since her mother had died, but she recognized the signs none the less. 

“Wow. Do you think this’ll mean we’ll be a family soon?” Sirius asked in surprise. 

James saw the look of hope Rebecca tried to hide and slapped Sirius on the shoulder. “Don’t say that until we know for sure that they’re going to get together.” 

Sirius threw him an angry glare as he rubbed his shoulder and caught the look James was throwing towards Rebecca. “Sorry, Becca,” he murmured as he went over to her and hugged her tightly. 

With a sad sigh, Rebecca returned the hug in forgiveness. “It’s alright, Sirius. I’m used to being alone.” 

“I didn’t mean to make you sad,” he whispered, eyes hopeful. He smiled mischievously after a few seconds. “Just think of how your dad will have to chase our dad, because knowing Dad, he’s not going to make it easy to catch him!” 

Both boys laughed as she started laughing, hugging Sirius gratefully as she began to feel better. 

“Thanks, Siri.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the tip of the nose, laughing when he scrunched up his nose. 

“Hey! No kissing!” 

James and Rebecca laughed at him. "I have a curious question for you guys," she said after they'd sat down on the couch. "I noticed you don't mention you mum. Why?" 

James shrugged indifferently. "In the last few years before Lily was born, Mum started getting scary. The less time we spent with her, the happier we were. I'm just glad she can't hurt us anymore." 

"You know, one day you're going to have to explain to me just what she did that was so scary," Rebecca murmured, not wanting to put them through any more pain than their family was doing at the moment. 

* * *

Draco leaned forward impulsively and kissed Harry. 

Harry froze in surprise. When Draco sensed it, he pulled back, unsure if he’d done the wrong thing. “Sorry,” he murmured as he moved away. 

“I’m sorry, too. It’s just that….” Harry sighed as he leaned back against the wall beside the fireplace. “This time I want to make sure that _I’m_ making the choice, not the other way around. I need to make sure I’m doing this for _me_ and for no one else, not even the kids.” He laid a gentle hand on Draco’s arm. “I’m not saying no, Draco. I’m just saying I need to figure myself out before I make any more poor choices.” 

Draco looked at him in surprise. “What are you saying?” 

“I’m saying that for a while I’ve been wondering just exactly what my sexual preference is and I’m realizing that it’s not women. Though I seem to be able to perform with them, it’s more mechanical instead of true passion. When Ginny and I were together, I’d hoped I could ignore it, but instead I just made both of us miserable.” Harry laughed and shook his head at himself. “I just want to be sure this time. Do you understand?” he asked as he looked Draco in the eyes. 

Draco looked at him searchingly for a few seconds before nodding. “I can be patient, but don’t expect me to give up,” he told Harry with the famous Malfoy arrogant smirk. 

“I would expect nothing less,” Harry told him with a saucy smile and a wink. “By the way, not to change the subject but Alban told me about the dead house-elf a while back. Did you ever discover who owned him?” 

_What a mood killer_ , Draco thought as he shook his head. “Yes. I guess Hermione didn’t put much trust in Ginny’s plan. She must’ve had Macnair send his own house-elf to follow you once they knew you were here, knowing you’d eventually lead them to James.” 

“She must have been really raging waiting as long as they did,” Harry said with a small laugh, shaking his head. “At least that part’s over and done. Now we just have to save Miranda, though I’m at a loss as to how to help her. Has Snape found anything?” 

“Not that he’s saying.” Draco looked at Harry with a slight frown. “If Severus finds something, he’ll let us know. I don’t think he’s found anything that’ll help Miranda… yet.” 

Harry sighed heavily and closed his eyes, leaning his head back slightly before his eyes opened and he frowned. “Hold on. How come you didn’t know about the stray house-elf? Wouldn’t you know if he wasn’t yours?” 

Draco laughed. “Not really. I have so many of them in my employ that I didn’t notice the difference. As you’ve no doubt noticed, they pretty much all look like each other.” 

“Just how many _do_ you have?” 

Draco shrugged and finished his drink. “I need to turn in. I have to help Severus tomorrow morning. He wants to attempt taking off the Dark Mark.” He moved closer as he saw the questioning look Harry had in his eyes. “And I’m telling you this so you don’t think I’m avoiding you tomorrow,” he said as he leaned closer and kissed Harry on the lips, thrilled when Harry kissed him back. “Goodnight,” he murmured softly before heading towards the door. 

“Goodnight, Draco,” Harry murmured as he watched Draco walk out of the room. He turned to look at the fire, letting his mind linger on the kiss. He was happily surprised by the turn of events. 

But could he have what he wanted and still be what he needed to be to those who expected him to always do the right thing? 

He shuddered to think of Ron’s reaction if he were to start dating Draco Malfoy. Funny that the fact that Harry fancied men over women wouldn’t send Ron over the edge but the ‘who’ would. When it came to Draco, Ron lost all reason, though thinking back on all Draco had put Ron through at school, he shouldn’t really be surprised. 

But would it be enough to bring him around? Would he be able to accept Harry’s choice? If he took it to the next level, that is. 

And what about the whole Weasley clan? Would they use this against him, just to take his kids away? Probably. 

Harry sighed and rubbed at his face. He needed to do some serious thinking. He didn’t want to lead Draco on if he found he couldn’t handle being in another relationship…

His eyes narrowed as he realized what he was thinking. He was letting them do it to him again. Dictate who he should and shouldn’t see. And he was getting tired of being told what to do, like he was still a child to be guided. 

To hell with them all. 

It was time to think of himself and his children. If the others couldn’t cope with what he wanted, then too damn bad. 

It was time to live his life the way he wanted. 

Pushing away from the fireplace, he slowly made his way upstairs, then decided to stop to check on Miranda before he turned in. He was surprised to see she was still awake, propped up on some pillows, a house-elf puttering around the room, almost like it was waiting for her to tell it to turn out the lights so she could sleep. 

The poor thing also seemed a little nervous, and then Harry saw why. Miranda’s eyes were following her around the room, a look of curiosity in her eyes. She still couldn’t believe these creatures were real, despite all she’d seen in her years. 

Harry found it comical. 

“You can go,” he told her, stopping the house-elf in her tracks as she turned to look up at him. 

“Sir?” she squeaked in surprise. 

“I’ll make sure the lights are off before I leave,” he assured her as he made his way towards the chair. 

The house-elf looked back at him, then at Miranda, before it vanished. 

“I still can’t believe they actually like to pick up after us,” Miranda murmured as she shifted to a more comfortable position, wincing in pain. “So? How did your date go?” she asked with a knowing smile. 

“Who told you I was on a date?” Harry asked in surprise. 

“The Professor, of course. So?” 

Harry sighed and shook his head. “I figure I’m going to take it a step at a time and to hell with what anyone else thinks.” 

“Good. I thought that maybe you’d let those people pressure you into doing what they think is right. It hasn’t helped you yet,” she said, watching him. “It’s time you think of what’s good for you and those children.” 

Harry was surprised to hear his own thoughts come out of her mouth. “You agree?” 

“Of course.” She looked at him closely and frowned. “Harry, don’t think that marrying Ginny was a mistake, but you have to think of what you want and need now. Your duty to them is done. They wanted you to defeat Voldemort, and you did. They wanted you to marry Ginny, and you did. You have three beautiful children who adore you out of that union. If this is what _you _want, then go for it. If they’re your friends, then it won’t matter who you’re with. They’ll want your happiness. Don’t let them get in the way.”__

Harry laughed softly. “Funny how I’d come to that same conclusion just a few minutes ago.” 

“I also heard about last night. What did the Weasleys want?” 

Harry shrugged, pretending it didn’t bother him as much as it did, but the frown on Miranda’s face told him it wasn’t working. “They wanted to take the kids. Permanently.” 

Miranda’s eyebrows rose at that. “For real?” At Harry’s nod, she shook her head. “Did they think it would make them better off to raise Ginny’s kids after the woman was thrown in jail?” 

“They don’t call it jail here, though it’s the same thing, I guess. Truth be told, I’m not sure what was going through their heads. Especially since they actually thought I’d agree to it, but I fixed it.” 

“How?” 

“I quit my job to become a full-time dad. I’m still waiting to hear their reaction.” 

Miranda laughed before she hissed in pain. “Don’t make me laugh,” she murmured when the pain had lessened. “It hurts too much, but you’re right. I want to hear what their reaction is when you find out.” 

“I’d better let you get some sleep or Snape’ll get mad at me for keeping you up,” he murmured as he stood up. “Need help getting settled?” 

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh. 

Leaning over, he helped her get comfortable before he kissed her forehead. “Good night, my friend.” 

“Good night, Harry. See you in the morning.” 

He made sure all the lights were out before closing the door on his way out. _Time for me to get some sleep_ , he thought, heading down the corridor. The kids were going to have him up early as it was. They always did. 

* * *

Snape frowned as he looked down at the blood samples on the table and consulted the book again, sure he’d done something wrong. His frown deepened when he realized he hadn’t done anything wrong. According to the text, the blood samples should all be the same, but his results showed quite a discrepancy in results. 

Almost like the DNA was changing somehow…

His eyes widened as he realized what was happening to Miranda. “Fuck,” he swore softly. Apparently the potions given to her were doing more than making her sick. They were changing her physiology on a molecular level. In short, making her into one of them. He remembered reading a case like this from years ago. 

He frowned as he tried to recall the details behind the case. 

Yes, a muggle had ingested a potion not meant for them and it had begun to compensate by changing him into a wizard. Unfortunately, the changes weren’t quick enough and he’d died a week and a half or so later. So at least it gave him time to work with… three or four days to find a cure? 

Realizing just how little time he had, he decided to head for the library to see what he could find. 

* * *

“Draco?” Harry called out as he looked inside Malfoy’s room. He’d waited all day yesterday, hoping he could talk to Draco, to tell him of the decision he’d come to. He’d known that Draco would be tired after the ritual with Snape, but he hadn’t realized that he wouldn’t see him at all. 

The room was empty. 

He began to wonder if, perhaps, Draco had changed his mind and decided that he didn’t, in fact, want a relationship with Harry after all. He turned to leave and just about bowled Draco over. “Jeez, Draco, make noise next time,” Harry gasped, clutching at his chest. 

Draco laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. What’re you doing here?” 

“I came to talk to you.” 

“About?” Draco asked as he gestured towards the sitting area in his room. 

“About us,” Harry murmured, missing how Draco’s body tensed at his words. 

Draco forced himself to relax as he sat down in the chair. “And?” 

“And… to hell with what everyone else thinks, even the Weasleys. If they can’t be happy for me, then too bad,” Harry said, watching Draco, holding his breath in case Draco had changed his mind. 

Draco’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Are you sure about this?” 

“Positive.” The look on Draco’s face told Harry that he wasn’t sure Harry had thought it through completely. “Besides, Miranda agrees with me.” 

“You… told Miranda?” Will wonders never cease? He hadn’t realized that Miranda liked him, let alone approved of him being with Harry. 

Harry nodded. “How did she put it? ‘If the Weasleys are your friends, then it won’t matter who you’re with. They’ll want your happiness. Don’t let them get in the way.’ Funny thing is I’d come to the same conclusion before I went to visit her,” Harry said with a shrug. 

Draco frowned, wondering if Harry was making this decision for himself or if he was just trying to rebel against the people who had been controlling his life since he’d been young, but Harry’s next words made him smile. 

“But I still want to take it slow, make sure it’s the right thing for us. I just don’t want anyone to influence who I’m with anymore. I want it to be _my_ choice.” 

“Then we’ll take it a day at a time,” Draco told him with a smile. “And see what it brings for us.” 

* * *

“Isn’t it funny how adults seem to think kids don’t notice things?” James asked Rebecca as they played outside. 

Rebecca rolled her eyes as they glanced over to where Harry and Draco were sitting, talking. “They seem to think we’re blind or something.” 

James laughed and shook his head. “This has to mean that last night went well. This should be interesting to watch. Wonder how long it’ll take before they come out of hiding. Want to play tag?” 

Rebecca shrugged. “Sure, come on, Sirius. James can be it first since he chose the game,” she said with a mischievous smile as James groaned. He’d wanted someone else to start the game off!


	19. Interesting Development

Chapter 19 – Interesting Development 

Harry felt like he was walking on clouds. The last three days had been heavenly. Draco had been true to his word. He was persistent but taking it slowly. 

Every morning Harry woke to a new surprise while their evenings were spent getting to know each other better. 

The first day, he’d woken up to a rose on the pillow next to him. He’d been pleasantly surprised and touched. No one had ever left him a surprise before. 

Yesterday had been a box of chocolates, which the boys had eaten with Rebecca. He’d never really been big on sweets, but he liked the thought, and Draco hadn’t seemed to mind that the kids had eaten the chocolates instead of him. 

And then today, it was a book on advanced spells. He’d smiled at that. There was a time when he’d have passed on books, but since Hermione had disappeared and they’d assumed she was dead, he’d buckled down and actually made the effort to do his own research. 

Which was probably why he’d passed his N.E.W.T. exams with flying colours the year after Voldemort was finally defeated. At least he hadn’t been the only one to go back for an extra year. Everyone in his year who hadn’t been at school that year had been given the opportunity to finish their last year at Hogwarts. 

On his way downstairs, he decided to stop and visit with Miranda. She was lying on her side, looking bored out of her mind. She brightened when she saw him. “Morning,” she murmured as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. 

“How did you sleep?” he asked as he sat down in the chair. 

She shrugged slightly. “As well as can be expected, considering, every time I move, pain shoots through me.” 

Harry frowned at her words. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked, tilting his head to one side. 

“How about you help me out of this bed and into that chair?” she asked hopefully. “Quite frankly, I’m getting tired of lying in bed.” 

He couldn’t see any harm in the request so he shrugged and got up. Being careful how he picked her up, he moved her to the chair. She sighed in relief when she was settled and was surprised when Harry tucked a blanket around her lap. “Just in case you’re cold,” he told her as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Feel better?” 

“Much. Thanks, Harry.” 

“No problem. I’ll come back in an hour to put you back in bed,” he told her as he rose to his feet. 

He was almost at the door when she stopped him. “Can you do me favour?” she asked when he turned to look at her. 

“What’s that?” 

“Can you bring Long Feather and my grandfather here? There’s something I need to ask them.” 

Harry looked at her for a few seconds. _What is she up to_? he wondered. “Sure. I’ll be up in a little while with them.” 

“Thanks, Harry. I appreciate it.” 

* * *

Snape walked into Miranda’s room to find her sitting in a chair by the window, a blanket on her lap, her face pale as she stared outside. 

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, his tone harsher than he’d meant for it to be. 

“Sitting,” she murmured softly, not turning to look at him. 

“Who said you could get out of bed? You’ll just exhaust yourself,” he told her angrily. 

“Everything exhausts me, damn it!” she snarled at him before gasping in pain as she clutched at the arms of the chair, eyes closing as she concentrated on controlling the pain. 

Snape’s eyebrows rose at her rare display of temper. She’d been amazingly calm these last few days where her limitations were concerned. He took a deep calming breath, forcing himself to get his own temper in check. This wasn’t helping her and she wasn’t exhausting herself by sitting. “If I let you sit there for a while, do you promise to take things easy?” he asked, deciding to take a different approach. After all, she wasn’t one of his former students, whom he could terrorize. 

She opened her eyes and let her head fall back against the back of the chair. “Yes,” she whispered and he could hear the pain in her voice. “Was there a reason behind your visit?” she asked tiredly. 

“Yes, I wanted to run some more tests,” he murmured as he watched her. “How did you get to the chair?” he asked as he frowned at her. 

“Harry helped me. Let me guess, you want more blood,” she drawled sarcastically. 

He ignored her tone as he moved closer with the syringe he’d gotten from a muggle hospital a couple of days ago without anyone being the wiser. Muggles were so easy to dupe. “And where is Mr. Potter?” 

“I sent him on an errand for me,” she told him as she turned to look out the window once more. Probably wishing she could go out there, Snape realized, but he couldn’t risk her getting sick in her weakened condition. 

“Miranda?” 

Snape turned to see an old man and the young man he’d seen in the puddle before everything had happened with Hermione. Her brother, if he remembered correctly. 

Miranda’s head turned towards the voice and smiled slightly. “Grandfather, Long Feather. Thanks for coming. Can we have some time together?” she asked Snape and Harry, who stood behind Long Feather. 

“Of course,” Snape murmured as he finished up and left the room, closing the door behind him. “Tell me, Mr. Potter,” Snape murmured as Harry made to go back downstairs. “Was it your idea or hers to sit in the chair?” 

“She suggested, but I didn’t see any harm in her sitting up instead of lying down. She wasn’t hurting herself.” 

“I agree, but perhaps next time you should ask me if it’s wise to move her. What if it _had_ cause damage?” 

Harry flushed at the implication that he would put his friend in jeopardy just to make her comfortable. “I’m well aware of what she can and can’t do. Her injuries aren’t physical, not really. If she’d had broken bones that would have been made worst by sitting her up, I wouldn’t have moved her. And please don’t assume that you’re the only one who’s concerned with her well-being, Professor. I care for Miranda like she was my sister.” 

“Of course,” Snape said with a slight tilt of his head before he swept away, with a billow of his clothes. 

* * *

Inside Snape was seething with anger, but outwards, he was calm and collected as he walked back to his lab and away from a glaring Harry. He put the blood sample beside the other ones and cast the spell. 

He frowned as it showed that the changes were beginning to slow down. By rights, they should’ve accelerated. Was this why that muggle had died? The fever had told him that her body was fighting the changes, but he hadn’t thought it would actually succeed in stopping it. 

Picking up the book he’d found in the library, he opened it up to the page he’d been reading earlier. 

He’d been right. The Mediwizard who’d attempted to treat the muggle had indeed found a solution to the changes… unfortunately he hadn’t been able to find what he’d needed to make it a success. It was also the same problem Snape was having. 

He needed a wizard powerful enough to force the changes to complete themselves. 

Where was he going to find someone like that? 

Frowning in thought, he pulled out his knife and pushed it against the tip of his finger until it bled. Reaching out, he added a drop of his blood to the last sample, watching carefully. He was surprised to see the sample turn black. Casting the spell on it again, he was shocked to see that the sample was mutating beyond recognition before it ignited into flames. 

Definitely not compatible. 

Did this mean he wasn’t powerful enough? Was he _too_ powerful? 

He frowned and looked down at the book again. Re-reading the section again, he realized that it wasn’t so much the power level of his magic as it was his blood type. Black meant incompatibility in blood types. He needed it to turn blue. 

This ceremony seemed to be the only solution, but where was he going to find a power _and_ blood type match to help her? 

* * *

Harry went downstairs, still smarting at the subtle implication Snape had just delivered. Like he would put her in a situation that would hurt her. _Ha!_ If he only knew. 

“Harry?” He froze in his tracks, blinking in surprise as he turned to look at Draco. “Is something wrong?” 

Harry sighed, letting his anger melt away. It wasn’t Draco’s fault Snape was the way he was. “Not really. Snape just reprimanded me for allowing Miranda to sit in the chair without asking his permission first,” he said with a shrug. 

Draco’s eyebrows rose. “Really?” 

“Yeah, he seems to think I’d willingly do something to hurt her.” He huffed a little. “As if I’d do something like that.” 

“So what happened? Is he still up there with her?” Draco asked, wondering if laughing would insult Harry. They were fighting over a woman! This was _so_ precious! 

“Nah, Miranda asked me to get her brother and grandfather. She’s with them right now,” Harry said with a slight frown, noticing the glint in Draco’s eyes. “Are you laughing at me?” he asked suspiciously. 

Draco’s eyes widened in mock innocence. “Would I laugh at you and Severus fighting over a woman?” 

It took a few seconds for Draco’s words to sink in. Draco was surprised when Harry started laughing. “I suppose that does sound incredulous, doesn’t it?” 

“You think?” Draco asked with a smile. At least Harry was taking it better than he’d expected. “So Miranda’s family is here. I wonder why she asked for them now rather than before?” 

Harry shrugged. “We’ll find out later, I’m sure.” 

* * *

Miranda gestured for her brother and grandfather to sit on the bed and waited until they were settled before speaking again, though her grandfather went to stand beside her chair, like he knew she needed his comforting presence closer to her. 

“What’s going on, Miranda?” Long Feather asked, sharp eyes looking her over carefully and she knew he could see how pale she was, how much weight she’d lost and how sick she seemed to be. 

“You remember when you had to take me to the emergency room because of a burn?” she asked him softly while Grandfather moved closer to her chair, taking hold of her hand. At his nod, she sighed and laid her head back against the chair. “Harry had given me a type of cream they made at his school. Instead of healing the cut I had like it was supposed to, it burned the skin.” 

When his eyes widened, she nodded slightly before going on. “A few days ago, the people who were after the kids gave me something to drink and it seems to be reacting badly. No one here seems to know what to do to stop it. I was hoping maybe a Cleansing Ceremony might work.” She turned her head to look at her grandfather. “What do you think?” 

She watched as the older man frowned in thought. “It might. I just don’t know if they have anywhere here to do the ceremony,” he said as he turned to look out the window. Miranda knew him well enough to tell he wasn’t saying everything. 

“What’s wrong, Grandfather?” she asked, somehow feeling older than him at the moment as she squeezed his hand, like she used to do when she was younger. He simply squeezed her hand slightly in return before shaking his head, and turned to look at her with a smile on his face. 

“Nothing. Everything will work itself out in the end,” he told them cryptically, causing them to roll their eyes in exasperation, but didn’t question him. Miranda knew from experience that unless he really wanted them to know, there was no way they were going to drag the information out of the old man. 

How infuriating. 

* * *

By the time lunch was served for them in her room, Miranda’s body ached so badly that she had no appetite, though she forced herself to eat some. 

Even her grandfather was giving her a reproachful look when she put her cup on the table beside her. That morning she’d managed to talk one of the house-elves into wearing ribbons on his shoulders so she could tell which one was there to help her out. 

The little creature was actually proud to be wearing them. He’d even brought a loveseat for Long Feather and Grandfather to sit on while they visited with her with the end her grandfather was sitting on closest to her. 

Miranda found it amusing when he delivered their lunch, because he was strutting around with a smile on his face. “Jarett?” she asked, unsure how this worked. 

The little creature popped in beside her, waiting expectantly. “Mistress?” 

“Can you tell Professor Snape, Draco and Harry that I need to talk to them, please?” she asked softly. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible and she needed someone to help her to bed. She was to the point where she couldn’t push the pain away anymore. 

“Yes, Mistress.” 

“You know, it’s funny,” Long Feather murmured in amusement. Miranda looked at him in surprise. “It seems it doesn’t matter where you go, you seem to make friends with any kind of creature. I’m sure if you told him to jump off the balcony, he’d do so willingly and with a smile on his face.” 

Miranda rolled her eyes as her grandfather laughed in amusement. “You do seem to have a knack with unusual creatures,” he murmured pleasantly as he brushed her hair back, ignoring the fact that her skin seemed to be burning slightly. 

“Actually, they all seem to be the same way,” she muttered, glaring at her brother. 

Grandfather frowned slightly. “No. We’ve seen three of those little creatures and only this one seems to have attached itself to you. He seems very fond of his new addition.” 

Miranda shrugged uncomfortably and didn’t say any more. She didn’t know how to feel about the little thing. Did she really like the idea of him attaching himself to her like that? She was sure Draco wouldn’t be too thrilled if that happened. 

It wasn’t long before Snape swept into the room, a look of irritation on his face. She wasn’t surprised, really. According to what Harry had told her over the years, this was his normal look. “What’s this about, Miranda?” he sneered, looking at the others in the room before centering on her. 

“Let’s just wait for the others to get here before I start. That way I don’t have to repeat myself,” she murmured, rubbing at her forehead, ignoring the trembling in her hand. 

When she looked up at him, she realized his look had changed slightly to one of worry as he watched her hand. At least he didn’t say anything about it… yet. She also saw his gaze flick over to her cup and he frowned as he looked at her again. 

“Did you eat at all?” he asked her. 

“Yes,” she murmured, closing her eyes. She didn’t see Snape look at her grandfather or her grandfather raise his hand with his thumb and forefinger slightly apart, telling him she’d eaten only a little. 

“If you don’t eat, you won’t have the strength to fight whatever’s wrong with you,” he growled angrily. 

She held up a hand and shook her head before opening her eyes to look at him. “Please,” she whispered softly. She saw his mouth thin in disapproval but didn’t say anymore.


	20. More Trouble

Chapter 20 – More Trouble

Later, at lunch, Harry was surprised and a little apprehensive when he received an owl from George and another from Ron. Both requested an urgent visit with him and Draco. Harry looked over at Draco, a frown on his face. 

Draco caught the look as he was talking with James about card games. James was explaining what cards were and some of the games Harry had taught him and Sirius. The blonde man seemed actually fascinated by what he was being told. “Sorry, James,” he murmured, winking at him playfully. “We’ll have to finish this conversation later. What’s up, Harry?” 

Harry didn’t say anything but handed the letters over to the house-elf closest to him. “Can you take this to Draco?” he asked politely. 

The house-elf bowed slightly, taking the letters from Harry to take them to Draco. Puzzled and a little apprehensive, Draco took them and scanned the first one quickly then read it again. “Rather cryptic, aren’t they?” he said as he read the second letter. 

“Mm, what do you think?” Harry asked before a house-elf popped in beside him. He looked at the small creature in surprise, noticing the small ribbon tied to each side of his shoulders. “I guess Miranda wants to talk to us now?” he asked him with an amused smile. 

The house-elf noticed him looking at his new additions and smiled proudly. “Yes, sir, Master Harry,” he said before he Apparated away. 

Draco looked at Harry with eyebrows raised. “How could you tell that was the house-elf assigned to Miranda?” he asked in surprise. 

“She tied ribbons on her house-elf to tell which one he was,” Harry said with a laugh. “Finish your lunch and go play outside, please,” he told the children as he rose to his feet, gesturing for Draco to follow him. When he was out of earshot, he looked at the letters still in Draco’s hand. “What do we tell them?” 

Draco looked at the letters again. When he reached the study door, they slipped in and Draco quickly penned a response on both letters. “Tammy!” Draco called. 

The house-elf appeared beside him, bowing slightly. “Master Draco?” 

He handed her the letters. “Send these right away,” he told her. She bowed again and Apparated away. “I told them to come over in a half hour. Let’s go see what Miranda’s up to.” 

Once they reached Miranda’s room, Harry was surprised to see Snape there as well, waiting for them. “Took your time, Potter?” he drawled sarcastically. 

“Sorry, something urgent came up at the same time as we were summoned,” Harry murmured, choosing to ignore the old professor’s tone. Funny how he couldn’t have done that when attending Hogwarts. It just went to show how much he’d matured. 

Snape’s eyebrow rose when he didn’t get the comeback he’d expected but didn’t comment. “What’s going on, Miranda?” he asked instead. 

“I’ve talked to my grandfather and he agrees. Since nothing you’ve tried has worked yet, I want him to do a Cleansing Ceremony. I’ve seen it work on a lot of situations, it might work this time, too.” 

Harry watched the reactions of Draco and Snape. He knew what she was talking about… vaguely. When they were younger, she’d tried to explain how the ceremony worked, but he hadn’t really understood the logistics. 

He saw the look of confusion on Draco’s face and a frown on Snape’s. Neither of them knew what she was talking about but neither wanted to voice their ignorance. “How would it work?” he asked, sparing them from having to ask. 

“We can’t really go into details,” Miranda’s grandfather said from beside her chair. “Suffice it to say we need somewhere outside that’s surrounded by trees and is secluded enough for the three of us to work. A few blankets for Miranda to lie on and safe enough for us to build four small fires. I don’t want to set fire to the land around us if I can avoid it,” he told them ruefully. 

Now it was Draco’s turn to frown. “There’s a small clearing in the garden that might suit you needs. If you want, I can show you where it is and you can judge for yourself.” 

Miranda’s grandfather opened his mouth to answer him, but Snape beat him to it. “I can’t allow Miranda to go outside. If she catches anything, she might die.” 

“I’m dying now,” she snarled at him in anger, eyes flashing, hands clutching at the arms on the chair, telling Harry just how much pain the outburst caused her, but she was refusing to let it stop her… for now. “It doesn’t matter anymore. If this doesn’t work, I’m as good as dead. I _have_ to try _some_ thing.” 

Snape looked at her in surprise. It was true that he hadn’t found anything yet to help her… well, not true. He’d found something, but needed to research it a little bit more before he said anything. “And if it doesn’t work? What then?” he drawled angrily, falling back to his old habits. 

“Then I die. At least I tried _some_ thing!” she said, banging her fist down, gritting her teeth and gripping the chair tighter with her other hand, trying hard to keep from crying from the pain. “I need to try this! Instead of fighting me on this, help me!” 

Snape’s lips tightened and he sighed in resignation. “Fine. What can we do to help?” 

Harry watched Miranda, worried when it seemed the pain wasn’t going away like it always did. He moved quickly over to her. “Miranda?” He reached out to her, surprised when he heard her gasping for air. 

“Professor?” he called in panic as he caught her shoulders when she slumped over. The skin of his hand suddenly became extremely hot where it was touching the bare skin of her neck as he cradled her head. There was a sudden crack in the room and both Miranda and Harry gasped in surprise and a little in pain. 

Draco and Snape moved quickly as a second crack erupted, this time the force of the power flung Harry and Miranda apart. Draco rushed to Harry where he was lying on the floor, slightly dazed. Snape went to Miranda who was unconscious on the chair. 

Miranda’s grandfather and brother watched in alarm and confusion, not quite sure what to do. 

“What the hell happened?” Harry asked, shaken, cradling his hand. There was an angry welt with spidery blue veins running from it where his skin had touched hers and on Miranda was the same thing along her collarbone and neck. 

“How is she?” Draco asked, helping Harry to his feet, though Harry didn’t seem too steady and had to sit on the edge of the bed. 

Snape turned to look at Harry with narrowed eyes. It seemed he’d found his solution if this Cleansing Ceremony went south. “I’m not quite sure what happened,” he murmured in answer to Harry’s question. “And as for how she is, her breathing isn’t labored anymore.” 

“What? How?” Harry asked in surprise. 

“I have to check some things out, but I should have an answer later today. Off the bed, Mr. Potter. She needs to sleep if she’s going to do this ceremony this evening.” 

Harry rose to his feet, a little steadier now, and watched as Snape picked her up and laid her under the blankets. 

“Make your preparations,” he told the elderly man as he tucked the blankets around Miranda, noticing that the welt was starting to go away. “And let me know if I can be of any assistance.” 

“If this young man will show us where we can do the ceremony, I’ll know what we need,” Grandfather said, gesturing to Draco, watching Snape with eyes that saw more than the old professor realized. 

“Do you think you’ll be alright?” Draco asked Harry who was looking at his hand in wonder. The welt was already fading. 

“Yeah, go. I have to meet Ron and George in the Floo room in a bit anyway. 

* * *

Draco led Miranda’s relatives downstairs and out into the backyard. “I know Long Feather’s name because Miranda’s used it before and Harry told me he was her brother, but what do we call you, sir?” 

“Just call me Grandfather or Elder,” he murmured as he looked around the yard. “This is a beautiful garden you have here, Draco.” 

“Thank you,” Draco murmured, figuring Miranda had already told them his and Snape’s names. 

“Grandfather!” James and Sirius screamed as the boys ran over, a big smile on their faces, Rebecca following at a jog, unsure of these strangers with her father. 

“James, Sirius,” the old man laughed as James gave him a hug, followed quickly by Sirius. “Are you being good for your father?” 

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison. 

With a smile that crinkled his whole face, he looked up to see Rebecca standing beside Draco. “And who’s this lovely young lady?” he asked kindly as Rebecca blushed at the comment, smiling shyly, resisting the urge to look down at her feet and scuff the toe of her shoe on the ground. 

“That’s Rebecca. She lives here. She knows games we’ve never played before,” Sirius told him loudly as he bounced beside the older man. 

“Really? Well, that’s what counts , isn’t it?” he murmured with a wink at Rebecca, who ducked her head this time, her blush intensifying. “Why don’t you three go play.” 

“Okay.” The boys ran off with Rebecca following, casting one last look at the strange men. 

“A beautiful child you have, Draco.” 

“Thank you. It’s been good for her to have other kids for her to play with. Sometimes I worry that she’s growing up too fast without other children to interact with,” Draco told him as he moved through the gardens towards where they could see a small copse of trees. 

Draco noticed the old man looking around at all the different flowers in the largest of the gardens in the back of the Manor and wondered what he’d think if he knew some of these beauties were actually dangerous. “This is beautiful,” he murmured, even looking up at the way the smaller gardens made a contrast against the Manor. “A very lovely home with a lot of gardens set around it.” 

“Thank you. The trees were left in a circle with a seating area inside. Bushes placed on the outer rim allows for more privacy.” Draco led them closer to the trees in question. “The benches can be removed and whatever you want can be brought out here.” 

The older man nodded, not saying anything. _Probably waiting to see what it really looks like_ , Draco thought with a small smile. Their reactions made his smile widen. They gasped as they walked into the small glade. Benches were strategically placed around the ring of trees with a fountain in the center, making it feel like they really were in a forest instead of Malfoy Manor. 

What could he say? His ancestors knew how to place things so it could take you to a different place altogether. 

“Will this do for your purposes?” he asked slyly. 

The old man smiled easily as he looked around the area. “This will do wonderfully,” he murmured softly. “The two benches on this side will have to be moved and a small cot with blankets can be put it their place.” 

“Easily done,” Draco told him and called for Jarett, the house-elf assigned Miranda’s care… who still had those ridiculous ribbons on his rags but he didn’t have the heart to tell the creature to take them off, especially since he was so proud to wear them. “Take those two benches out of here for now and bring a bed and blankets in here and anything else this gentleman says he needs.” 

“Yes, Master,” he told Draco and moved quickly over to the first bench. 

Draco watched the surprised looks on Miranda’s grandfather’s and brother’s faces as Jarrett began levitating the benches out of the area, placing them outside the ring of trees and hid his grin. “Are you coming back into the Manor or are you going to stay and watch him work?” he asked the two men in amusement. 

“Long Feather can go spend time with Miranda. I’m going to stay and watch,” the old man murmured in fascination as he watched the house-elf levitate the bench in the air. Laughing, Draco motioned for Long Feather to follow him. 

* * *

Harry made it to the Floo room with fifteen minutes to spare. He looked over at the house-elf that appeared beside him. “Is the connection to receive Ron and George Weasley open?” he asked the little creature, wondering not for the first time how you could tell their gender. “Sorry, what’s your name?” 

“Yes, Master Harry,” it said with a bow. “Ethan my name is, sir.” 

_Which means this one’s male_ , Harry thought to himself, nodding to the little creature. “Thank you, Ethan.” 

The house-elf hummed happily and left Harry to wait for the Weasleys. He wouldn’t have long to wait… unless they were running late. He paced the room, looking at the detail work along the mantle of the fireplace, the art work hanging on the wall…

He hated waiting. 

Had never cared for the way people would let him sit in a room to wait to be ‘summoned’ like an errand boy. Dumbledore had loved doing that to him. 

The Floo activated just as he sat down. Standing up, he waited as Ron stepped out of the fireplace with the ever present smudge by his nose. Harry grinned at that and walked forward to greet his oldest friend. “Ron, what’s up? Your letter was kind of cryptic.” 

“Actually, George told me he’d hex me ‘til next week if I said anything before he got here,” Ron said sheepishly as he shook Harry’s hand before looking around. “Where’s Malfoy? I figured he’d be here to make sure we didn’t take anything from his precious Manor,” he said sarcastically. 

“Ron,” Harry said warningly. If this was what he had to look forward to, it was going to be a long meeting. 

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, ducking his head a little. “It’s habit by now.” 

“Don’t worry, Weasley,” Draco drawled, walking through the door in time to hear the snide comment. “I’m sure the feeling is mutual.” 

Harry threw Ron a look which made him bite his tongue, and Harry knew it was costing him not to respond to the comment. Fortunately he was saved by the Floo activating again. George stepped through and quickly walked over to Harry, shaking his hand. 

“Harry, Malfoy. Thanks for seeing us like this.” 

“It sounded serious and urgent,” Harry said, wondering what on earth could be so pressing. 

“Is there somewhere more private we can talk?” George asked, looking around. 

Harry looked over at Draco, who shrugged and led the group into the den, closing the door behind the last person. “So what’s the problem?” 

“I’m sorry, Harry, but Mum and Dad have lost their minds,” George said, sighing as he sat down in the nearest chair. “Especially since Ginny was put in Azkaban. They’ve decided to find a way to take the kids away from you. Since they can’t use your job as an excuse, they’ve decided to use where you’re living instead. Two men in a house with one woman, and with children running around seeing Merlin knows what. They’ve started rumors that there’s inappropriate behavior being carried on in front of the kids. They figure that in a couple of days they’ll have enough support to take this to court and petition for custody.”


	21. Healing the Dying Pt1

Chapter 21 – Healing The Dying pt 1

“I’m sorry, Harry, but Mum and Dad have lost their minds,” George said, sighing as he sat down in the nearest chair. “Especially since Ginny was put in Azkaban. They’ve decided to find a way to take the kids away from you. Since they can’t use your job as an excuse, they’ve decided to use where you’re living instead. Two men in a house with one woman with children running around seeing Merlin knows what. They’ve started rumors that there’s inappropriate behavior being carried on in front of the kids. They figure that in a couple of days they’ll have enough support to take this to court and petition for custody.” 

Harry stared at him, hoping this was a joke. How the hell could someone turn against him so badly, and over something _he’d_ had nothing to do with? 

“I’m sorry, mate. I don’t know what’s going on in the family anymore. The only ones who are realizing just how ridiculous this is getting are Charlie and Bill. Fleur won’t talk to Mum anymore or let her kids visit either. I think she’s afraid they’ll try to take them from her, too. They’ve really gone off the deep end. I thought when you left that night that Mum and Dad would come to their senses, but it just seemed to fuel the fire more.” 

Harry sat down heavily into the nearest chair, feeling numb before turning to look at Ron. “Did they ever care about me for me? Or did they only use me for what I could bring them?” He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to cry, but didn’t think he had the strength anymore. 

“Harry?” Draco murmured as he moved closer to Harry, wondering just what was going through his mind. Harry looked at him with a blank look in his eyes, which worried Draco. “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to stop them,” he murmured as he knelt beside him. 

“How? Why are they doing this? Ginny was caught because she was a Death Eater. How does this make me the one responsible for her choices?” he asked Draco. He just wanted to be happy. His _children_ deserved to be happy. Why couldn’t Molly and Arthur see that? Why did they have to try and tear his family apart? 

Draco frowned in thought. “I might know someone who can help us with this mess, Harry, but we’re going to have to act fast if you want to nip this in the bud.” 

Harry shook himself of the depression overcoming him and forced himself to push it to the back of his mind. Now wasn’t the time to give in like his body wanted him too. His kids were all he had left in the world. The Weasleys had proven they weren’t really his family… all but a few. Harry’s eyes flashed in anger. “Contact them and find out what our options are. They are _not_ getting my children, even if I have to leave England to make sure of it.” 

Draco smiled in relief. This was the Harry he’d known at Hogwarts, the reason he’d been able to defeat Voldemort. You didn’t attack what Harry wanted to protect. It was a sure way to lose. He turned to look at the Weasleys. “If we need to, can we count on your help?” 

“Of course,” George agreed without hesitation before looking over at Ron. “How ‘bout you?” 

Ron sighed, knowing this was going to cause more problems in the family as he nodded. Then he thought of all the times Harry had been there for him without thinking about what problems it would cause him. “Yeah, and I might be able to talk Bill into helping out if you need it.” 

“Thanks, guys. I really appreciate this,” Harry murmured, knowing Arthur and Molly weren’t going to like this. He wanted this over and done with. He’d hoped for a better outcome, but it didn’t look like it would happen. Knowing how it felt to lose family, he hadn’t wanted his kids to go through the same ordeal but there was no help for it. They’d already lost their mother, they weren’t going to lose their father as well. 

He frowned to himself. Only now did he realize that they had never once cried for Ginny. 

“What’s wrong, Harry?” Ron asked, noticing the look on Harry’s face. 

“Is it just me or are the kids not worried that Ginny’s not coming home?” Harry asked, curious if Draco had noticed the same thing. 

Draco frowned in thought. “Come to think of it, they have taken it in stride. I can ask Rebecca if they’ve said anything to her.” He turned to look at Ron and George. “Did she drop the kids off at your parents often?” 

It was Ron’s turn to frown. “I don’t think so. But then, if she was trying to bring back You-Know-Who, maybe they don’t miss the terror she was putting them through.” 

Draco’s eyes narrowed in thought. “You know, we can use that to our advantage.” 

“How so?” George asked, watching him curiously. 

“Well, who says the elder Weasleys will do better raising Harry’s children than they did with Ginny? Look at where she is now. Just because the rest of you didn’t line up to join _him_ just goes to prove that they allowed her to get away with anything she wanted. It also goes to show that when she saw that Harry wasn’t interested in her like she’d wanted when she first met him that she did everything she could to make sure she got him.” 

“That’s right,” Ron said as he caught on to what Draco was saying. “Her diary said as much. She was willing to do _anything_ to make Harry her own.” 

“Do you still have it?” Harry asked hopefully. 

“Yeah, actually, I do. Mum wanted it out of the house. She wanted to burn it, really, but I wanted to reread it before she did, so I… kinda snuck it out of the house,” Ron said sheepishly. 

George’s eyebrows rose into his hairline. “Ron,” he exclaimed, impressed with his younger brother’s initiative. “I didn’t think you had it in you!” 

“I didn’t do it to help. I just wanted to reread it,” he mumbled, blushing in embarrassment. 

Draco never would have thought he’d ever have a civil conversation with any Weasley and here he had two of them in his home. Would wonders never cease? But this was for Harry. “Can you bring the diary here? I’m sure it’ll come in handy if we need some proof that they allowed her to get away with it all,” Draco said as he stood up, turning to look at Ron. 

“Sure. Anything to help out. I think Mum and Dad are wrong to do this. I never thought they’d be capable of ripping a family apart just for revenge,” Ron said with a sad shake of his head. “It makes me wonder just what they’d try if Viviane and I were to have a falling out with them, especially now that she’s expecting our first child.” 

“Congratulations, Ron,” Harry said with a genuine smile. “I’d heard, but hadn’t had the chance to talk to you since then. How far along is she?” 

“Five months,” Ron said proudly, sitting up straighter in his chair. “We’re hoping for a boy, but,” he said shrugging, “we’ll be happy in any case - as long as it’s healthy.” 

“Well said,” George said with a laugh, clapping Ron on the shoulder. 

Draco walked over to the desk and penned a quick note. “Tammy!” he called out when he was done. 

The house-elf Apparated next to him and bowed. “Master?” 

“See that an owl delivers this as soon as possible,” Draco told her as he handed her the letter. 

“And now we wait,” Draco murmured, sliding his hands in his pockets. “Are you two staying for supper?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, as if he’d just asked if they were enjoying the weather. 

Ron and George looked at him like he’d just grown a second head. George was the first one to recover. “Sure, why not. Is it alright if I bring Alicia?” George’s wife hadn’t had much occasion to get out of the house, especially since they lived above the shop. Harry was sure that she was ready to start climbing walls, alone with their two kids all day. 

Draco shrugged. “The more the merrier. And will you bring Viviane as well?” he asked Ron. Yes, he hated the Weasleys but they were, after all, Harry’s family and if they were willing to stand up to their parents on his behalf, he could be civil towards them. 

Ron stammered a little. “Sure, I’m sure she’d enjoy the company.” 

"Tammy, we're having company for supper. Make sure we have enough for them as well." 

“Yes, Master,” Tammy said, bowing again before she was gone. 

“Come back around four, that way the kids can get used to each other and play before supper,” Draco told them, knowing they were going to need some time to get used to the idea of being invited to Malfoy manor. “And please keep it casual. I don’t stand on ceremony as much as my mother and father once did.” 

Ron and George were still slightly stunned as they made their way to the Floo room. When they were gone, Harry started laughing. “What?” Draco asked, amused, an eyebrow raised. 

“You could have told them you strip down and run around the yard naked and they wouldn’t have been so flabbergasted,” Harry gasped, clutching at his side as it began to hurt. 

The other eyebrow rose to join the first. “Honestly, Harry. Why would I want to do such a _scandalous_ thing like that?” he said before he laughed at Harry, who couldn’t seem to catch his breath. 

“Oh, stop,” he gasped, leaning back against the wall for support, drawing deep breaths to get control of himself. “Just wait ‘til they find out Snape is here as well.” He looked over at Draco and they both started laughing again. 

“And just _what_ is so funny?" the man in question drawled from the doorway. 

It took both young men a few minutes more before they could answer him… which Harry could do as long as he didn’t look at the old professor for a little bit. 

“We have two of the Weasley families coming for supper tonight,” Draco told him after taking a few deep breaths. 

Snape’s eyebrow rose in question. “Which ones?” 

“George and his family and Ron and his wife,” Harry said, still smiling but at least not laughing. 

“Why?” 

“Because they’re the only ones out of all the Weasleys not trying to take Harry’s children away from him,” Draco told the old professor. “And since Harry and I are seeing each other, I figured I’d be nice to whatever family he has left.” 

Both of Snape’s eyebrows rose at this. “And just how are the rest of the Weasleys trying to take the children away?” 

“Let’s go talk in the study,” Draco murmured as he heard some whispering from outside the room. “It’ll be more private.” 

* * *

As the three men made their way down the hall, Rebecca slapped James on the shoulder. “I told you we were making too much noise. Now we’ll never know what your grandparents are going to use as ammunition against Harry. I don’t want you guys to leave.” She was close to tears. She was going to be left alone again! 

“Don’t worry, Becca. Dad won’t let them take us away. Besides, if they do, Sirius and I will take Lily and Floo to Grimmauld Place and then here. They can’t keep us there. It might take a couple of days, but we’ll be back,” James assured her with an arm around her shoulders. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Of course… besides, they have to find us in this place first. There’s a lot of places to hide that only the house-elves would be able to find us if they tried. And I know they won’t let them take Lily away. They enjoy having to take care of her. Dad had to threaten them to be able to spend an hour a night with her,” he told her with an air that said he knew what he was talking about. 

Rebecca still looked unsure. She wanted to believe him, but the thought of being left alone by herself again weighed heavily on her mind. 

“Don’t worry,” Sirius murmured as he gave her a hug. It always made him feel better when someone hugged him. It was sure to help her. He looked up at her, little face hopeful. She smiled at him and hugged him back. His smile widened as he took her hand and began pulling her towards the back. “Let’s go watch the house-elves levitate those benches for Grandfather.” 

Laughing, she allowed herself to be pulled along as the boys took off at a run down the hallway. Maybe it would be alright. Harry didn’t look like the type of person who would willingly let his kids be taken from him. 

* * *

“So that’s going to be their angle,” Snape murmured, eyes narrowed. “Yes, I can see how it would work… if it wasn’t for the fact that Miranda’s more like a sister to you, Harry. A very poor attempt on their part, though.” 

“They also don’t seem to realize that you’re also living here, otherwise it would just add more fuel to their fire,” Harry said with a sigh, rubbing tiredly at his face. Why couldn’t they just be happy for him? What had he ever done to them that merited this kind of torment? He looked up at Snape. “Do you think this Cleansing Ceremony will work?” 

Snape shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ll see when they do it. Are you going to want the Weasleys here when that begins?” he asked both young men. 

“I figure we’ll have time. They won’t do the ceremony until it gets dark,” Harry said with a shrug. “Grandfather’s going to want to spend some time outside before the ceremony begins. Long Feather will more than likely stay upstairs with Miranda, getting her mentally prepared. We shouldn’t have to explain anything to them at all.” 

Snape looked at Harry in surprise. “And just how do you know all this?” 

“Miranda told me about these ceremonies when we were younger. I’m not quite sure how it all works, but she said it can do wonders sometimes.” 

Snape frowned in thought. “I found something that could help Miranda get better if this ceremony doesn’t work.” 

“What?” Harry asked in surprise. “How? Why didn’t you say something sooner?” 

“Because, Mr. Potter, before I didn’t know how it would work. But today, you gave me the answer I was looking for.” 

“Me?” 

“Yes. You remember when you touched her today, how your touching her skin blistered your hand and her neck?” Harry nodded, unsure where this was going. “Your magic and blood can save her, with the help of a ritual I found in an old book.” 

“How?” Draco asked, frowning. 

Snape pulled a book from a robe pocket and opened it to a page. “As far as I can tell, we need a powerful wizard and two witnesses. Unfortunately, all parties have to be standing. Since Miranda can’t stand, I’ll act as her witness and hold her upright.” 

“And I’ll act as Harry’s,” Draco said without hesitation. Harry shot him a grateful look. 

“I still have to do some studying, the spells are pretty straightforward. I’m going to have to make a trip to Diagon Alley for a few of the ingredients I’ll need, but I should have everything ready for tonight. That way, we’ll be prepared in case something goes wrong.” 

“Why don’t we get the ingredients for you?” Harry suggested, looking from Snape to Draco. “That way it’ll give you more time to study the book, and we can take the kids on an outing. I’m sure they’re tired of being cooped up. 

“Sure,” Draco murmured with a shrug. He needed to check in on his staff anyway. They were probably wondering what had become of him. “Alban!” he called out. 

The house-elf appeared instantly. “Yes, Master?” 

“Find the children and make sure they’re dressed appropriately, please. We’re going out this afternoon.” 

“Yes, Master Draco.” 

Snape nodded and took a sheet of paper from the desk and wrote down the ingredients they need to get for him. “Here.” 

Draco took the paper from him and read it carefully. “Easily done,” he told the old professor. 

“Good. Bring them up to the lab the moment you return.” 

Harry and Draco walked out of the den and separated, Draco heading in a different direction, so Harry walked into the Floo room, where the boys waited impatiently for the adults. “Can we get some ice cream, Dad?” Sirius asked, bouncing beside Harry. 

“If you’re good,” he told the boy as he ruffled his hair. He noticed a house-elf standing there with Lily. “Thank you,” he murmured as he took her, laying her sleeping head on his shoulder. 

“Is everyone ready to go?” Draco asked as he walked into the room followed by Rebecca. 

“You’re coming too?” Sirius asked, jumping in excitement. “Dad said if we’re good, we can have ice cream!” 

Harry laughed as he arranged the boys to Floo to Diagon Alley. “We have to hurry, though. Your uncles George and Ron are coming for supper.” 

“You’re not leaving Lily at home?” Draco asked when he saw the little girl’s sleeping body in Harry’s arms. 

“I figured if we meet up with anyone, this’ll give less ammo to use against us,” Harry explained with a slight shrug. He really wanted to leave her at home to rest, but feared the Weasley clan not on his side might scream neglect. 

Draco nodded in understanding and gestured for him to lead the way. “James, you come with me and Rebecca. That way you Dad can take Sirius and Lily through at the same time.” 

James looked up at Harry, the question clear in his eyes. “Go ahead, James. It’s alright. I trust him.” 

The boy sighed and waited for Harry and Sirius to get into the fireplace. “Sirius, if you’ll take a handful of Floo powder, drop it and say clearly Diagon Alley like I’ve shown you before, we’ll head out.” 

Sirius nodded and did as Harry said. “Diagon Alley,” he said clearly, little hand in Harry’s, before he dropped the Floo powder. 

Draco was impressed. He hadn’t thought Harry would’ve shown his kids how to use the Floo networks. He moved into the fireplace and took both kids’ hands in his own. “You know what to do as well, James?” 

James nodded and took a handful of Floo powder. “Diagon Alley.” 

* * *

Draco was surprised at how quick this shopping trip had gone. And it was only a couple of hours since they’d left the Manor. 

Their first stop had been his shop to get whatever paperwork needed done completed while Rebecca showed the boys the things on the shelves and tables. 

Then they’d got all the ingredients Snape wanted. Now the kids were leading them towards the ice cream parlor as fast as they could drag the adults. He laughed as James and Sirius pulled Harry while Rebecca pushed from behind, finding he was walking too slow for them. 

It helped that Draco had Lily, who was burbling away, clapping her hands as she watched her brothers, allowing the boys to each have a hand. “Let’s go, Dad. You promised!” James said, laughing. Harry dragged his feet on purpose, enjoying watching his children try to drag him along as much as they were enjoying dragging him. It also seemed that Rebecca was enjoying joining the boys. It was great that she was willing to join in the fun. Draco had worried that she’d hang back instead. 

“Hello, James, Sirius.” 

Draco watched as the laughing stopped at the sound of Arthur Weasley’s voice. Rebecca moved away from Harry and back to her father, unsure what was going on as the tension began to grow around them. 

The boys looked a little wary around the elder Weasley, moving closer to Harry, still holding on to his hands. “Hi, Granddad,” they murmured. Harry was a little sad. Usually they would have jumped all over the man, but they still remembered their last time at the Burrow. 

Arthur’s eyes narrowed, probably thinking it was Harry’s doing that was preventing the boys from greeting him as they usually did. “Harry, I’m going to give you one more chance to abide by the agreement we talked about the other day.” 

Harry’s eyebrows rose at the phrasing. Almost like they were talking about a contract that he wanted signed. Is that all the kids were to them? A means to an end? “I’m sorry, Arthur. I can’t do that. My children will be remaining with me, despite what you and Molly say. If you can’t see past the fact that Ginny’s where she is because of her own choices, then I’m sorry for you both. My kids aren’t going to be used as pawns in your games.” 

Harry looked back at Draco and noticed other people standing around them, closing his fingers around the boys’ hands as they moved even closer to him, a look of alarm on their little faces. The look he gave Draco told him all the blonde needed to know as he took hold of Rebecca’s hand and tightened his hold on Lily, who had also stilled, green eyes wide, watching the new threat. He hadn’t thought the Weasleys would try something so public. They were really determined to get the kids. 

“I’m not giving you a choice on this, Harry. Do you really think that the courts will give you, a man living with another man and a woman who isn’t related to you, custody of these kids? Who knows what you’re subjecting them to,” Arthur said, anger clear on his face. 

“And who told you there was a woman living at Malfoy manor?” Harry asked, though he had an idea who had opened his big mouth about all this, though he probably hadn’t thought about it before he’d said anything. 

“Ron told us about her the night of the supper. Shame on you, Harry. Ginny hadn’t even been out of the picture for more than twelve hours when you brought her into the picture. How long had you been sleeping with her?” 

Harry was surprised at the insinuation, but it did confirm where they’d heard of Miranda. At least Ron had kept his mouth shut about Snape. “She’s not sleeping with Dad,” James told Arthur angrily. “She’s our friend and you’re being mean for no reason.” 

“That’s enough, James,” Arthur snapped, glaring at the boy, who glared back. 

Harry’s fingers tightened a little on James’s, who looked up at Harry. “Let it go. It’s not worth fighting about something that isn’t true,” he told him gently. 

James nodded but went back to glaring at his grandfather. He was going to be as hot headed as Harry had been when he was his age. 

“This is your last chance, Harry. Let the kids come home with me and we’ll forget about this,” Arthur told him, ignoring James and Sirius, who were looking at the adults with fear in their eyes. 

Harry’s hold on the boys tightened. “No, and there’s no law that states that I _have_ to. You forget, Arthur, I worked as an Auror and know my rights. If you persist, you’ll lose. I won’t lose my family, not to you or anyone else.” 

He waited to see what the men were going to do, tensing in anticipation. 

“Then you give me no choice,” Arthur said and nodded to the men, who began moving towards the family. Draco Apparated away with Rebecca and Lily at the same time as Harry Apparated with the boys. 

They appeared in the Manor foyer where Lily began crying and screaming in fear. 

Harry reached for her and held her comfortingly. “It’s alright, Lily. Daddy’s here, sweetheart,” he murmured as she clung to him, rubbing her back until she calmed down. 

Draco was frowning in thought. 

“Why did he think he could have us, Dad?” James asked, tugging on his sleeve to get Harry’s attention. 

“They’re just hurting, James. People sometimes do strange things when they hurt. Don’t worry. You’re not going anywhere if I can help it. Why don’t you, Sirius and Rebecca see if you can help Grandfather? He should still be in the garden with the house-elf. 

James’ look told him he wasn’t fooled by the distraction, but he allowed Sirius and Rebecca to drag him towards the back of the manor. 

A house-elf appeared beside Harry, looking up at him expectantly. “You feeling better, baby?” Harry asked gently in Lily’s ear. She was still hiccupping, but nodded, rubbing her face against Harry’s shoulder and he tried not to cringe at the thought of her wiping her snot on his clothes. The look on Draco’s face told him that he was thinking the same thing. “Do you want to go to the back with James and Sirius?” 

She looked up at him with bright green eyes and nodded again, then she noticed the house-elf smiling at her and she reached down towards her. Harry allowed the house-elf to take Lily from him and watched as the creature skipped away with the little girl. 

Harry sighed and pulled out his wand, casting a simple Cleaning Spell on his clothes to get rid of the snot Lily had wiped on him. “What am I going to do about the Weasleys?” he asked. He was so _tired_ of fighting with everyone, especially with people who were supposed to be his family. 

A new house-elf appeared next to Draco, holding a letter out to him. “Don’t worry, Harry. You have the law on your side. Thank you,” he murmured as he opened it and frowned at what it said. “Apparently it can get worse.” 

Harry looked at him incredulously. “It can?” He took the letter Draco held out to him and read it. “They’re not serious! Are they mental?” Draco’s contact had written back with news that the Weasleys had proof that Harry was subjecting his children to ‘unscrupulous actions’. 

“We have to talk to Severus. Maybe he can think of something we haven’t,” Draco said as he walked towards the stairs. Harry followed, wondering what he was going to do about the Weasleys. 

* * *

Snape listened with a frown as Draco outlined the whole Weasley problem. “By Wizarding law, if they can prove that you’re endangering your children, they _can_ take them. I’m just trying to figure out how they can prove something that isn’t even true. And you say they don’t know I’m here too?” Draco nodded. “We can use that to our advantage. Let me think on this for now. I have to get the ingredients ready for our own ceremony… just in case.” 

“You don’t think the Cleansing Ceremony’s going to work, do you?” Harry asked, and the funny thing was, he had the same feeling. 

Snape looked at him, wondering if Harry was accusing him of something, When he saw no accusation in his eyes, he shook his head. “When I tested the last batch of blood I took from Miranda, it showed something interesting. It seems the prolonged exposure to the potions is changing her physiology, unfortunately it’s killing her rather that saving her.” 

“So the only way to save her is to speed up the changes, which is where I come in, right?” Harry asked, frowning as he took in the information. 

Snape looked surprised that he’d picked up on that fact as fast as he had. Usually, Harry would’ve had to have someone almost spell it out for him before he got the point of a lecture. “Yes, but the ritual is very old and complicated. I’m going to need both of you there if we have to take over saving her. Draco will be there as your witness and I’ll be Miranda’s since we can’t ask anyone in her family. We’d probably just end up with the same problem with them as we’re having with her. I just didn’t want to say anything in front of them. We’re _supposed_ to have her permission as well, but I think that by the time we get our chance, she won’t be in any shape to resist.” 

“What if I talk to her? Ask her if it’s okay to do this if what they’re doing doesn’t work? I’m sure she’ll agree. She doesn’t want to die, after all,” Harry said with a shrug. 

“The thing is, Mr. Potter,” Snape drawled as the obvious seemed to have escaped Harry’s notice. “Once we’re done with this ceremony, she’ll have to remain here. This will change her completely into one of us, in effect, your blood-sister. There’s no telling what other kind of changes this will bring. If she begins to display magical powers, we’ll have to teach her how to control it. Also, she’s going to have to learn how the Wizarding world works. Since you’re still trying to figure that out, that leaves Draco and myself to teach her… and you.” 

Harry rolled his eyes at the crack on his lack of Wizarding protocol but he didn’t argue, knowing it was true. “Still, I’d feel better if she’s prepared for this instead of just dumping it on her after the fact. I know when I was first introduced to the Wizarding world, I didn’t know the first thing about what was going on. No one explained anything to me, they just assumed I knew everything.” 

Snape’s eyebrows rose at that admission. “Dumbledore didn’t even tell you what being a wizard meant?” 

“Please, the only thing I knew was that anyone who was in Slytherin was going to turn out like Voldemort, a power-hungry wizard or witch. And I got that from Ron. Instead of being put in Slytherin like the hat wanted, I asked to be put in any other house but.” 

Snape felt like his eyebrows were going to take up permanent residence in his hairline if Potter didn’t stop surprising him with all these revelations. “And Dumbledore didn’t even try to correct the misconception, of course,” he drawled rhetorically. “Get out of here so I can work on this ritual. And Mr. Potter,” Snape said as they turned to leave the room. “Talk to Miranda. Tell her my suspicions, but keep it simple. The less complicated you make it, the better our chances of getting her to agree.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

* * *

Harry nodded to Long Feather when he and Draco walked into Miranda’s room. She was awake now, resting tiredly against her pillows. Long Feather nodded back. “Can we talk to Miranda alone?” he asked politely. 

Long Feather looked over at Miranda, not quite sure if he wanted to leave his sister alone with them. Miranda nodded to him and smiled at Harry. “What’s up?” she asked curiously. 

Long Feather rose and walked out of the room. Harry found him a little eerie. The man didn’t talk much unless he knew you well enough. He only walked around watching everything. 

He waited until the door was closed behind Long Feather before he sat down on the bed beside Miranda. Draco stood quietly at the foot of the bed. “Are you feeling up to having supper with us tonight?” he asked, looking at her pale face worriedly. 

“If it means I can get out of bed, I’m game,” she murmured with a mischievous smile. “What’s really wrong, Harry? You look worried.” 

“Ron and his brother, George, are coming for supper with their families,” he said with a dismissive shrug. “Though I think it’s more to make sure that the rumors aren’t true.” 

“Which rumors?” she asked in apprehension. 

“That Draco and I aren’t sleeping with you,” he told her, waiting for it. He wasn’t disappointed when she started laughing, gasping in pain. 

“You might have to wait until I can get the energy to join in,” she gasped, tears filling her eyes, though Harry wasn’t sure if it was because of the pain or because she couldn’t stop laughing. “So, I’m to be paraded in front of them to make sure I’m not trying to scar your kids beyond repair?” she asked softly when she managed to get herself under control. 

“Yeah,” Harry said with an apologetic look on his face. “I don’t really want to put you through this, but if they see you’re just a friend, maybe the rest of the Weasleys’ case will fall apart.” 

“What do you mean?” she asked in alarm. “I thought everything was resolved?” 

“The Weasleys are using the fact that Harry’s in the Manor with another man and woman doing Gods know what in front of his children. It’s a load of shit, but they’re desperate enough to try anything at this point,” Draco told her when Harry hesitated. 

“When did this come about?” 

“We went to Diagon Alley today. You remember me describing it to you, right?” Miranda tried to remember what Harry had told her years ago and nodded. “We took the children with us. When we went to go get some ice cream, Arthur – Ginny’s father – tried to take the kids again. Then we got a letter stating there was proof.” 

Miranda’s eyebrows rose at that. “How can they have something that doesn’t exist?” Then she frowned. “This reminds me of an incident at home where the police tried to get a confession out of one of my cousins. They told him they had proof he’d done the crime, but he had alibis which proved otherwise. Later we found out that there _was_ no proof. It had all been a ruse.” 

Draco frowned at Miranda. “What are police?” 

“The Muggle version of Aurors,” Harry answered as he thought about what she’d said. “So this could all be a trick to see what we’ll do.” 

“Exactly, because we know there _is_ no proof. I’m sorry, Harry, but I know you too well to actually think of you as anything other than as a friend.” 

“Don’t worry,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t see you in that light either. Besides, I think Draco might object to the competition.” He laughed as Draco smacked him on the shoulder in reproach. 

“Watch it, Potter,” he mock growled. “But that’s not the only reason we came to talk to you.” 

“Oh? What else is there?” she asked curiously. 

“Well, Snape doesn’t really believe that the Cleansing Ceremony will work and wants your permission to have a backup plan ready in case we need it,” Harry told her, watching her carefully, wondering if she would take offense. 

She thought about that for a minute before she sighed. “Might as well,” she said with a shrug. “This way, if we need it, then we’ll have one. It’s better to be safe than sorry, I guess. What’ll we need to do?” 

“We’re not quite sure what’s going to happen. He’s being very tight lipped about all of it,” Harry said with an apologetic shrug, “though he did say that if we do this, you’ll have to live here in the Wizarding world.” 

“Yes,” Draco added when she looked at them to see if they were joking with her, nodding as a look of dawning realization came into her eyes. “What Severus does, if your ceremony doesn’t work, will not only cure you, but make you Harry’s blood-sister. With magic to learn to control.” 

Her eyes widened and she looked at Harry. “It’s true. You’ll have to learn from us how to control the magic. We just don’t know how much you’ll have, but no one in your family knows what we do or how to control it.” 

Miranda closed her eyes as she took in what they were telling her. 

“Would it really be that bad to live in the Wizarding world?” Draco asked, frowning in confusion. It wasn’t _that_ bad here. 

Miranda gave a mirthless laugh at his words, wincing slightly as it jarred her body. “Would you like it if someone told you what you just told me? ‘We can save you but you can never go home again’?” she asked him softly. 

Draco’s frown deepened at that. She had a point. 

“Knowing this though, are you still willing to go through with it?” Harry asked her hesitantly. 

She sighed tiredly, probably wondering if she had any choice. He could see her point, though. It was either go through with Snape’s plan or die if the ceremony didn’t work… which, if what was said was true, the ceremony was just going to make it worse, not better. 

“This has something to do with all the blood he’s been drawing, isn’t it?” she asked, opening her eyes to look at them. 

“It does,” Harry told her, determined not to lie to her. She needed to know what was going on. “He found that the potions they gave you are changing you... but it’s also killing you because it’s not going fast enough.” 

“Will the ceremony even work?” 

“He doesn’t think so. In fact, Severus thinks it might make it worse,” Draco told her. 

“Why didn’t he say anything before?” 

“Because, at the time he’d found the ritual, he didn’t have any idea how to use it… until I touched you earlier. My magic helped ease the pain you were in. That’s what gave him the knowledge that it would work. I wanted you to have a choice in this, though, not just spring this on you after the fact.” 

“Yeah, I can see how you’d want that,” she murmured, knowing how he’d hated being left out of the decisions that affected his life. “Talk to Grandfather and Long Feather. If there’s no point in going through the Cleansing ceremony, why bother. When does Severus want to do this ritual?” 

“Sometime after supper, once Ron and George have left, more than likely. Do you think you’ll be able to hold on that long?” Draco asked, frowning at her. She seemed to be… wilting. It was the only way he could describe it. 

“What time is supper?” she asked, changing the subject. 

“In about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. Want me to take you downstairs?” Harry asked, watching her. 

“What about Grandfather and Long Feather?” she asked with a frown. 

“It might be better if Ron and George don’t see them. I’ll go ask them if they want to have their supper outside where they wanted to do the ceremony, or even in another room,” Draco murmured with a soft smile. He was beginning to like Miranda. She had a lot of spirit and didn’t take crap from anyone. She also didn’t rant or hem and haw about what was going on or couldn’t control. “The less Ron and George know, the less information they have when this goes to court and are asked about who was here. Just having me and you in the same house with Harry and the kids is already causing a stir. Imagine if it was five men and a woman.” 

“Point taken. I’d like to take a bath and change clothes before we have supper. Do you have anything appropriate I can wear? I only have the one outfit. I wasn’t exactly planning on staying when I came through,” Miranda said wryly. 

“I’ll see what I can find. Jarett!” Draco called. 

“I’ll go find your grandfather and Long Feather,” Harry told them before he bent and kissed Miranda on the forehead. “Don’t worry. You won’t be alone here. I’ll take care of you,” he promised her softly before he rose and left the room. 

The house-elf appeared, bowing. “Yes, Master?” 

“Help Miranda. She wants to take a bath,” he told the creature, who bowed again and headed into the washroom to prepare the bath, the ever-present ribbons bouncing as he moved. Draco nodded and left the room. 

Miranda forced herself to sit up in bed, biting her lip against the pain just the little movement caused her. She almost wished Snape would appear and help her out, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. 

It was almost like he’d locked himself away after she’d yelled at him earlier. 

She heard someone walk by outside her room and frowned, wondering who it was. 

Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself off the bed and waited until her legs had stopped shaking. This was going to be a long trip to the bathroom, she thought as she felt sweat bead on her forehead and she hadn’t even started walking, yet.


	22. Healing the Dying Pt2

Chapter 22 – Healing the Dying pt 2

Draco was going to have to send Tammy with a letter requesting a dress with Miranda’s measurements. She looked to be the same size Pansy had been, so Madam Malkin they should still have her measurements. “Tammy!” he called as he went down the stairs. 

The house-elf appeared at the bottom. “Master?” 

“Follow me,” he ordered as he walked into his study. He penned a quick note with instruction and handed it to Tammy. “Take this to Madam Malkin’s and wait for the package. Bring it to me when you get it.” 

“Yes, Master.” Tammy took the letter and Apparated away. 

He was confident the errand would be carried out to his specifications. Now he had to go find Snape and tell him the change in plans before he went to get ready for supper. His guests should be arriving in an hour. 

Which reminded him…

“Alban!” 

The house-elf appeared at the top of the stairs Draco was climbing. He was definitely getting his exercise today, he thought ruefully. 

“Master Draco?” the house-elf asked, watching him curiously. 

“Harry went to the gardens. Find him and remind him to get ready for supper. Our guests should be here in about an hour. And make sure the kids are clean and ready too.” 

“Yes, Master.” 

Orders given – and tired of walking – Draco sighed heavily as he Apparated in front of the door to Snape’s lab,. If he’d known how many things would happened today, he might have postponed the invitation to supper until tomorrow, but he’d figured getting it out of the way as soon as possible was best. He’d wanted at least two of the Weasley clan on their side when the shit hit the fan… which, if his observations were correct, was going to be soon, very soon. 

He knocked on Snape’s door and waited for the old Potions master to acknowledge the intrusion. 

“What?” Snape snapped when Draco walked in. 

“Miranda’s decided to forego the Cleansing ceremony and go with the ritual you want instead,” he told the older man. 

Snape’s eyebrows rose in astonishment. “What brought that about?” 

“Harry explained our concerns to her and she agreed that if it’s not going to help, why bother,” Draco told him with a nonchalant shrug. 

“I didn’t think she’d be so reasonable about this,” he murmured in surprise. 

“I’ve noticed that she’s even tempered and listens to what she’s been told before making a decision about anything,” Draco told him with a lopsided grin, remembering their first encounter. 

“Explain.” 

“You know how well I can intimidate people when they cross me, right?” he laughed as Snape rolled his eyes. “Well, the first time we met, she was sitting across from Harry and me. She managed to help Harry calm down. I was a little put out that she’d managed it without help, so I was glaring at her-“

“Like you usually do when you’re jealous,” Snape drawled, ignoring the face Draco made. 

“Anyway, she just told me to sit down and stop being an ass. She wasn’t even fazed by my attitude or yours for that matter. Remember how she greeted you?” 

“Yes,” Snape murmured with a frown. “She seemed more surprised than intimidated, which is unusual. Even Muggles avoid me on the streets.” He shook his head, pushing the thought away. “Well, everything’s ready for tonight. I’ll go get ready for supper. What are we going to do with Miranda’s family?” 

“Harry’s already downstairs talking to them. He’ll explain to them what’s going on. They’ll either have their supper out there or in a different room.” 

“Good. The less the Weasleys know about what’s happening here, the better.” 

* * *

Snape waited a few minutes to make sure Draco wouldn’t see him rush to Miranda’s room. He should’ve told them not to let her walk on her own. He knew she was in pain and had assumed they would realize what changes were occurring in her. That had been his mistake. 

He entered the room just as she was taking a step, heard her gasp in pain and saw her knees give way under her weight. He was at her side instantly, glaring in anger, though it was more directed at himself. Without asking, he picked her up, ignoring her gasp of surprise, and sat her down on the bed again. 

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” he growled, eyes flashing as he checked her knees. 

“I’m sorry I forgot to ask you to come watch me struggle to get to the bathroom,” she drawled sarcastically. Looking up at her, he noticed the arched brow and was reminded of Draco’s earlier words. She _really_ wasn’t fazed by his demeanor. 

“I apologize. I forgot to let Potter and Draco know that you shouldn’t be left alone to walk,” he murmured, knowing getting angry with her did no good. “Shall we try this again?” He watched her as she looked at him carefully, probably wondering what was going through his mind now. 

“How am I supposed to pretend there’s nothing wrong with me when I can’t even walk to the bathroom?” she asked, instead. 

Snape frowned at that, wondering that himself. He was going to have to figure something out. “Let’s try and see how well it would work if you walked into the bathroom while holding on to my hands.” 

Standing up, he held out his hands to her. With a slight hesitation, she reached out and slid her hands into his. Letting her set the pace, he walked her towards the bathroom, noticing the slight sheen of sweat on her face after only a dozen steps. “You’re doing good,” he murmured encouragingly. 

She made it almost to the door before her legs gave out on her. He caught her easily, holding her up, he noticed the slight wince she couldn’t hold back when he grabbed hold of her. He knew this wasn’t easy for her. It must feel like her bones were on fire with every step she took or every touch she was getting. 

Swinging her up in his arms, he ignored when she gasped his name in surprise at the suddenness and took her into the bathroom where Jarett was waiting nervously for her. He sat her down on the side of the pool-like tub. “Jarett, I want you to stay within earshot. When she’s ready to come out of the bath, come get me,” he ordered as he brushed her hair out of her face. She was still sweating, but at least she wasn’t in as much pain. 

“Yes, Master Snape,” Jarett said, nodding quickly and went to make her bed. 

“With this kind of tub, you can just slide in and wash yourself. Don’t attempt to walk back to your bed. Just let Jarett know you’re done and I’ll come help you,” he told her, waiting for her to nod before he left her in the bathroom. 

He hurried to his own room to take his shower. He didn’t like to think what might have happened if he hadn’t gone in when he did. He cursed himself for his thoughtlessness. He should have told Draco not to let her walk on her own. How were they going to get her to the table tonight? This was a bad idea…

* * *

Miranda didn’t know if she should be embarrassed or not as she watched Snape walked out of the bathroom. How was she supposed to make everyone to think she was alright with her when every step she took felt like her bones were going to crumble at any second? 

Yes, she’d walked from her bed to where she’d fallen, but her whole body felt like she’d put it through almost ten rounds with a Mack truck. With a sigh, she pealed her clothes off and slid closer to the side of the pool – really, how could someone call something this big a tub? – and sighed in relief as the warm water surrounded her, making the ache more bearable. She sat there for a few minutes, eyes closed as she relaxed. 

Opening her eyes, she realized she should probably wash herself before the professor came back to see if she’d drowned, or something. Laying back, she allowed the water to soak her hear before she sat up and washed it thoroughly, sighing in pleasure as she realized just how good it felt to get it clean. 

Laying back again, she made sure all the shampoo was rinsed out before she sat up again. She hadn’t realized just how dirty her hair had been and felt lighter now that it was clean. With a contented sigh, she decided to tackle the rest of her body, suddenly feeling like she hadn’t taken a bath or shower in a couple of weeks. 

When she was done, she slid out of the water, gasping as her warm skin came in contact with the cold tile floor. Reaching out, she snagged one of the towels off the edge and laid it down for her to sit on before snagging a couple more. She wrapped her hair in one and used the other to wipe herself. When she was done, she hesitated slightly before taking a fourth one to wrap around herself. 

She turned to call for Jarett… and noticed the box on the bench beside her. Frowning, she opened it up and stared in confusion at the explosion of material and color in it. “Jarett?” she called, almost afraid to touch it. 

“Mistress ready for Master Snape?” the house-elf asked as he padded into the bathroom. 

“Yes, please, and what’s this?” she asked as she pointed at the mass in the box. 

“Master Draco ordered Mistress a dress for supper,” he told her before vanishing. 

_This_ is a dress? she wondered with raised eyebrows. It looked more like a mess. She’d never worn a dress like this in her life. She hadn’t ever thought it could have so much material to one before. 

Snape arrived not long after, hair still damp, and dresses in his usual black attire. 

She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “How does this mess go?” she asked, gesturing to the box and saw his lips twitch in amusement. 

“I’ll take you to the bed and help you put it on,” he told her as he picked her up. “Jarett, bring the box.” She hadn’t even noticed the house-elf come back with him and was surprised when he was suddenly there, picking up the box. 

He sat her down on the edge of the bed and proceeded to pull out the dress for her to see. She looked from him to the dress in confusion. “I’m supposed to be impressed with this monstrosity?” 

With a sigh of annoyance, he rolled his eyes at her. “No, it’s not something I would’ve picked for you, but it is appropriate,” he told her as he laid it down beside her. 

“You mean I have to _wear_ … this?” she asked in dismay as she looked back down at the… dress. “Who in their right mind would wear something like this?” 

“Everyone in the Wizarding world wears them. As you are a guest, Draco must have ordered it for you. Madam Malkin more than likely made it for you. What about the dress don’t you like?” Snape asked with a frown. 

She looked at him with her eyebrows as far up as they could go. Where to begin? “How about the amount of material used and the neon colors? I didn’t think bright pink and powder blue could actually be used on the same clothing. It looks like someone just threw dies together for the hell of it.” 

“The amount of material is normal as far as dress robes go, especially for women. As for the colors, we can take care of that.” She watched as he pulled out his wand, and flinched, remembering when Hermione had used it on her. 

She saw him frown at her, but he didn’t comment, simply pulled the dress off the bed and put it on the chair. Pointing it at the dress, he murmured a couple of words and she watched as the colors changed from pink and blue to different shades of blues and greens. 

Miranda was impressed. 

The dress still looked like it had too much material, but at least it didn’t look like it had escaped a child’s paint palette. 

“Better?” Snape asked, an eyebrow raised in amusement. 

“A little.” She sighed in resignation, realizing she wasn’t going to get away from wearing it. “You realize you’re going to have to help me get into it, right?” 

* * *

Snape looked over at her, eyes widening a little when he realized she wasn’t kidding. She’d been right, of course. Whoever had chosen the color scheme should be fired, but that was the only thing he could see that was wrong with the dress. 

Looking in the box, he was surprised to see some underclothes and shoes inside it. He handed them to her. “I’ll let you put those on yourself, though,” he told her with a rueful smile. Turning his back on her to give her some privacy, he waited patiently until she told him she was ready for the dress. She still had the towel wrapped around herself, waiting patiently. 

Gathering the material, he dropped it over her head and helped her stand up, letting it fall to her feet. Turning her around, he pulled the towel out before zipping up the dress, and frowned when he realized it was too big for her. 

“Looking good,” they heard from the doorway. Turning to look, they saw Draco leaning against the doorframe, watching them. 

“How long have you been standing there?” Snape asked with a frown. 

“Not long. I heard you two talking and thought she was dressed.” He saw Draco frown and pulled out his wand. Before Snape could say anything to stop him, Draco cast the resizing charm at Miranda. 

He heard Miranda gasp and watched as she stiffened and fell to the floor. 

“Put it away, Draco,” Snape growled as he leaned down to check on her, ignoring Draco’s look of surprise and horror. “Miranda?” he asked gently, not daring to touch her. She was gasping in pain, her whole body shaking in response to the magic. 

Cursing softly, he picked her up, ignoring her moan of pain as he laid her down on the bed. Her eyes were tightly closed, her teeth were clenched around the scream he was sure she didn’t want to release. “Breathe,” he murmured softly before gesturing for Draco out of the room. “I’ll be back.” 

He wasn’t sure if she even heard him, but he noticed that she had started trying to take deep breaths before he followed Draco into the hallway. 

“I’m sorry, Sev,” he whispered, eyes wide. 

“If the potions are changing her, what do you think our wands do to her?” he asked, glaring at Draco. 

“I-I didn’t stop to think,” Draco told him, running his hands through his hair in agitation. 

Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself. “After tonight, it won’t matter. Let’s just get through supper as fast as we can.” He turned and opened the door to look in on her. Miranda had managed to sit up on the bed and Jarett was behind her, brushing her hair. Her eyes were still closed as she relaxed. He just hoped she could hold on until the ritual. 

* * *

When Harry was dressed, he went down the hall to collect Miranda. He was eager to see what Draco had picked out for her. She was sitting on the edge of the bed when he walked in. He stopped in his tracks. “Wow,” he murmured as he took in the sight. Her long hair was tied back in an intricate pattern. The light blues and greens of the dress brought out the highlights and ribbons in her hair, making her look stunning. 

She looked over at him, and he could tell she thought it was too much. 

“If I wasn’t interested in Draco,” he murmured, looking her over again. “I might take you away from here.” 

“I heard that,” Draco drawled from the doorway. 

Miranda chuckled as Harry whirled around in surprise. “Sorry,” he murmured sheepishly. “I thought you said this was a casual dinner?” he asked gesturing at how elegant Miranda looked. 

“We are. I just forget to tell Jarett. The house-elves have been beside themselves since Pansy died. They love playing with women’s hair. The only problem is Rebecca isn’t old enough to go to all the parties out there, so they can’t show their talent off,” Draco explained. 

Miranda shrugged indifferently. “I don’t mind. Is it time for supper already?” 

“Not quite, but I figured you’d like to get out of this room for a while,” Harry told her as he walked over to her. 

“That’d be nice.” 

Harry smiled as he picked her up. She felt so light in his arms that he frowned. “Have you been eating?” 

Miranda looked away guiltily. “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately,” she murmured quietly. 

When Harry turned towards the door, he saw Draco frowning at them. “If you don’t eat properly, you’ll only get sicker,” he told her, pushing his hair behind his ear. 

“Please,” she begged, laying her head on Harry’s shoulder, closing her eyes tiredly. Apparently this wasn’t the first time she was hearing this… probably from Snape who would’ve been watching her carefully. “Don’t start.” 

Draco’s mouth tightened in disapproval but didn’t say any more, simply gestured for Harry to move ahead of him. Downstairs, Harry put her down in the chair facing the door so she could see everyone coming in. It’d save her from trying to turn around whenever someone came into the room. “Want anything to drink?” 

Sirius rushed over to her, and Harry worried that he might hurt her, but when the boy got closer, he slowed down and hugged her gently. “Miranda! You’re up!” 

“Water, please,” she murmured as she rearranged the folds of her dress around her legs. “Hi, Sirius. Are you being good?” she asked with a fond smile as the little boy looked up at her. James came over as well, but a little slower, though he gave her a hug, too. 

Draco followed Harry over to the bar, pouring himself a drink, leaving Miranda to be entertained by the two boys. Rebecca had yet to make an appearance. “I had to shrink the dress to fit her,” he murmured softly, when he was sure no one would overhear. 

“I figured. Maybe once she’s feeling better, she’ll gain the weight she’s lost,” Harry murmured, hoping he was right and that Snape was right as well about the ritual working. He didn’t want Miranda to die because of him, and it _was_ his fault. If he hadn’t involved her in the first place, she wouldn’t be in the predicament she was in now. 

“Mm. We’ll know more by morning.” 

Just then, George and his wife were led in by a house-elf, his kids running ahead of them. They greeted their cousins noisily. 

“Good to see you again, George,” Draco murmured, moving forward to shake hands with them. “Alicia, how are you?” Harry nodded to them as he walked by to give Miranda her glass of water. 

Rebecca chose that moment to walk into the room and walked over to the new kids who were with her new friends. It was a little awkward at first, but soon all of them were playing games in the far corner of the room, ignoring the adults. 

“Well, that didn’t take long,” Alicia murmured with an amused smile, watching them. 

Draco grinned and gestured for them to sit down. “Anything to drink?” 

Snape swept into the room then, frowning at Miranda for a second before his face became unreadable as he went to stand beside her chair without making it obvious he was hovering. 

 

The couple shook their heads and went to sit on the couch, casting Miranda a few looks. Harry could see the question burning in their eyes, though they didn’t want to be rude and ask who she was. “George, Alicia, this is Miranda, my oldest friend.” 

George’s eyebrows rose at that. “I didn’t think you had friends before you came to Hogwarts Harry,” he said as he shook hands with Miranda. 

“Harry doesn’t like to talk about his childhood all that much,” Miranda murmured with a small smile. 

Draco was impressed and from the look in Snape’s eyes he was too, though he wouldn’t say it in front of their guests. She’d confirmed she was Harry’s oldest friend without letting any other information on how they’d become friends out. She would’ve been great in Slytherin. And with the way she’d phrased it, it meant they couldn’t ask - without prying - just how they’d met. This was great! 

“You’re one of Ginny’s brothers?” she asked before the silence could drag on. 

“Yes, one of them,” George nodded, with a smile, though he obviously didn’t quite know what to make of Miranda. “This is my wife Alicia.” The woman nodded at Miranda. 

Miranda nodded politely back before turning to look at Harry with an inquiring look. “The surviving Twin?” 

“Yes. George and Alicia run Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes since Fred died,” Harry told her as he watched her interact with George, trying not to laugh at the look on the red-head’s face. 

“Ah, yes, that’s the business you’re a partner in, isn’t it?” Miranda said with a mischievous look on her face. She might not know much about Harry’s world, but she could turn the tables on him when she wanted to. 

Harry’s eyes grew wider when she said it. He’d forgotten he’d told her about giving the twins the money to start their joke shop. Snape’s and Draco’s heads whipped around to look at Harry. “Yeah, that’d be the one,” he murmured sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“How did you manage to become a partner in that shop?” Draco asked curiously. 

Ron chose that moment to walk in with his wife, distracting the group from the question… for now. The look Draco threw him told Harry that he wanted to talk to him further about his business practices. 

“Hi again, Ron,” Miranda murmured, getting tired already. She looked like she wanted this to be over with as soon as possible. 

“Miranda? I’m surprised to see you up and about,” Ron said in surprise as he noticed her sitting there. 

“Well, not exactly up,” Snape drawled sarcastically. They watched as color crawled up Ron’s face, but he held himself from snapping back. 

“Supper is ready,” Draco said when he noticed the house-elf motioning to him. The kids cheered and walked quickly to the dining room. 

Harry went to pick up Miranda, but Snape leaned over and helped her to stand. “Hang on to my arm and walk slowly,” he heard Snape murmur softly into her ear. 

She nodded and did as he said. As the others were already moving, none of them noticed when Miranda nearly fell back into her chair. Snape’s arm caught her around the waist and he nodded for Harry to follow the guests. “Go with them.” 

Harry looked worried, but nodded anyway, following his guests. 

“Take your time. Don’t rush. If they think there’s nothing wrong with you, they won’t ask questions” Snape told her when he noticed she was biting her lip, probably to keep from crying in pain. “I’ll help you.” 

“I don’t think I can do this,” she whispered, nearly in tears. 

“Yes, you can. Just think of it as another couple of hours and then they’ll leave. Once they’re gone we can do the ritual and get you feeling better,” Snape told her. He hadn’t thought he’d ever have patience for someone else and was surprised he did. 

He watched as Miranda took a deep breath and nodded in determination. She still managed to surprise him. He’d expected her to whimper and whine that they were expecting too much from her, but she didn’t say anything. In fact, in all the time she’d been sick, she hadn’t said or done anything he’d expected. 

He led her slowly to the dining room, holding on to her without making it apparent that he was doing so and led her to one of the two vacant chairs. Snape was amused to see that Harry and Draco had left two chairs beside each other empty, telling him that he was to sit beside Miranda. 

He sat her beside Viviane and sat next to Draco. He felt her relax when she slid into the chair, but none of it showed on her face. He was impressed. 

Talk at the table was mostly held between Alicia, Viviane, Ron, George, Harry and Draco. Snape answered questions when asked, but preferred to sit back and watch, keeping an eye on just how much food made it into Miranda. 

“You need to eat a bit more,” he murmured in her ear an hour later when he noticed she was only pushing her food around her plate, frowning when she shook her head. That’s when he noticed she was sweating slightly. 

“I can’t,” she murmured back, looking at him with feverish eyes. “I don’t feel too good.” 

“Can you hold on a little bit longer?” he asked in concern, supper was almost over. 

She nodded and went back to pushing her food around her plate. 

“So, Miranda,” Alicia asked, not noticing the interchange between Snape and her. “How long are you here for?” 

“I’m not quite sure. I haven’t thought much about it,” Miranda murmured, frowning slightly. 

Harry looked over at Snape, who shook his head slightly. “Shall we go to the living room?” Draco asked as he pushed his chair away from the table, knowing they needed the distraction. 

“Sure,” George said, smiling at his wife as he helped her up. The kids walked quickly ahead of the adults as all but Harry and Draco went into the living room. 

“What’s up?” Draco asked as he glanced at the door before turning his attention back to Snape. 

“I’m taking her back upstairs. She needs to rest,” Snape told them as he rose to his feet. 

“But won’t that look suspicious if she doesn’t come into the living room?” Harry asked, frowning in concern. Miranda really didn’t look good. 

“It’s alright,” Miranda whispered, though they could tell she just wanted to cry at the thought of walking back to the living room chair. She made to stand up, but her legs refused to support her and she fell to her knees with a gasp of surprise and pain. 

Snape sighed angrily. “To hell with what they think,” he snarled as he bent and picked her up, walking out of the door and towards the stairs. 

* * *

Draco stopped Harry from following them upstairs. “We need to finish this evening quickly. She doesn’t have much time left.” 

“Right.” Harry nodded and walked quickly to the living room where everyone was quiet in surprise. 

“Was that Snape walking out with Miranda?” Alicia asked, looking at them when they walked in. 

“Yes, she’s not feeling well. I’m afraid we’re going to have to cut this evening short,” Draco told them. Everyone took the hint. George and Alicia rounded up their kids and ushered them towards the Floo room. “We’ll do this again when Miranda’s feeling better,” he told them. He could tell they wanted to ask what was wrong, but didn’t think it would be polite to do so. 

Once everyone was gone, Draco and Harry hurried upstairs to see how she was doing. 

* * *

Once in Miranda’s room, Snape sat her down on the edge of the bed and undid the ribbons, cursing when they seemed to tangle together. “Jarett said if you pull on the bottom ribbon, they’ll all fall apart,” Miranda told him. 

Glancing at the mess, he did as she said and was surprised when it did, indeed, come apart easily. Walking quickly to the closet, he pulled out clothes from Draco’s teenage years, knowing that pants and a shirt would be more practical than a dress. He helped her out of the dress and into the clothes. “You’ll be more comfortable in these,” he murmured when she looked at him in surprise. He frowned when she seemed to shiver slightly, thought she seemed to be burning up. 

Once dressed, he helped her lay back on the bed. “Rest for a few minutes, we’ll be taking you outside soon.” She nodded and closed her eyes. Watching her, Snape could see the shivering become slight tremors shaking her body as she fell into a fitful doze and he wondered just how much time they had left. 

Snape met Draco and Harry at the door to her room. 

* * *

“Can you tell the house-elves to keep the kids inside and out of the way?” Harry asked as he moved to the bed. Snape had removed her dress and she now wore pants and a shirt that were of really fine quality. And the ribbons were gone. 

“Of course,” Draco murmured as he headed downstairs to see what the kids were up to. 

She appeared to be sleeping, though Harry could see slight tremors shaking her body. Picking her up, he hurried downstairs and down the hallway. 

He walked quickly towards the trees, where he was met by Miranda’s grandfather and brother. “You’re going to have to go to the house,” he told them as he laid her down on the cot, covering her up with the blanket so she wouldn’t be cold. 

“What happened?” Long Feather asked as he looked down at Miranda, frowning angrily at Harry. 

“Listen, I don’t have time for this. You can’t stay here while we do the ritual. If you do, you might be in the same shape Miranda’s in. Please, go to the house,” he asked them pleadingly. 

* * *

Snape stopped in his room to grab his knives and the book before continuing on to his lab for the ingredients needed for the ritual, shrinking the bowls and putting them into his pockets. Opening the book to the correct page, he glanced at it, making sure he wasn’t forgetting anything. When he was sure he had it all, he Apparated in the clearing beside Harry and began putting down the things they were going to need. 

The bowls were brought out and put back to their normal sizes and he poured a pouch of powder into each one, giving them to Harry. “One is for you, the other, for Draco. I’ll explain once he arrives,” Snape told Harry. The other ingredients were laid out on the table beside him where he could easily access them, even while holding Miranda. 

Long Feather opened his mouth to protest, but it was his grandfather who spoke. “Let’s go, Long Feather,” he murmured, gesturing for the younger man to go ahead of him. 

Long Feather stomped angrily away. 

“Take care of her, Harry,” Grandfather murmured, waiting until Harry nodded before he followed. 

Snape looked over at Harry. “Did you tell him anything about what we’re doing?” he asked in surprise. 

Harry shook his head in surprise. “Not a word. That man’s always creeped me out growing up. It was almost like he could see the future or something.” 

The older man frowned in thought, remembering something Miranda had told him… So he was a Seer then. It explained a lot. Draco walked in quickly. “The kids are taken care of and I just passed Miranda’s relatives. Her brother doesn’t seem too happy.” 

“He didn’t want to leave her here, but his grandfather told him he had to,” Harry explained before turning to look at Snape. “What do we do?” 

“Using the powder, make a circle on the ground, around the bed and around the firepits Miranda’s grandfather had the house-elf put in. We’re going to need them. Use it all.” 

Without a word, Harry and Draco did as they were told. Once done, they turned back to Snape. 

“Stand on that side,” he told them pointing on one side of the table. Moving quickly, he moved over to the bed and picked Miranda up, leaving the blanket on the bed. He held her against his chest, facing Harry. “Draco, get behind Potter. We don’t have much time.” 

With a nod, Draco took a step back so that Harry was ahead of him. 

“I’m going to need you to light the fires in the directions that I point, Draco, saying _‘Luminarium Vorago’_.” 

Draco took out his wand without question. 

“When I tell you to, Draco, you’ll have to take the knife and cut Harry’s palm. I’ll take the other and do the same to Miranda. It also said you have to make a small cut on your thumb as you cut him,” Snape said with a confused frown. He didn’t get the reason behind that cut, but he didn’t have time to reread that section right now. 

“Which hand?” Draco asked, looking down at his hands. “Does it matter?” 

“Yes, using your left hand to his left hand. It was very specific on that point.” 

Draco nodded and waited for Snape to begin. 

“Harry, you’re to stay where you are until after Draco’s cut you. Afterwards, you have to take Miranda’s hand in yours, putting the cuts together. The blood mingling is what’ll save her. Ignore anything else that happens and don’t let go until I tell you.” 

Snape began to chant the words in the book, nodding to Draco. On cue, Draco said the words Snape had given them. With each fire Draco lit, the air grew heavier and heavier, making it seem like they were underwater or something, until all four fires were lit. 

Harry inhaled sharply when the ritual began, it felt so oppressive and it seemed almost like smoke was curling around them, forming a kind of circle. He could hear Snape saying something but it seemed distorted to his ears, almost like he was in a trance. 

* * *

Snape looked back at the book, continuing to chant the words, feeling weird, having to force himself to concentrate on saying the proper words. If he messed up in any way, they’d have to start over. The problem with that was that he didn’t have enough ingredients left to do the ritual a second time and he didn’t think Miranda would survive to start again. They’d pushed the limits as it was. He knew he should’ve done the ritual the night before, just in case, but he’d been confident he wouldn’t mess it up. Now he wasn’t so sure. 

When Draco took the knife off the table and reached for Harry’s hand, both men had to concentrate on what they were doing. Snape watched as Draco’s thumb was cut at the same time he was cutting Harry’s palm, watched as some of their blood mixed, like it was in slow motion, even as he did the same to Miranda. 

Harry blinked and looked up at Snape who was holding out Miranda’s hand to him. Her eyes were slightly open and she looked like she was in pain, but no sound came from her. Harry took her hand in his, blood dripping onto the table between them. He slid his hand until her cut was against his. 

Her eyes opened wide and she stiffened in Snape’s hold, though the other man didn’t let her go. 

It seemed to go on forever, but was probably only a few seconds. Light wound itself between Harry’s and Miranda’s hands, winding its way upward like fog until he had to close his eyes to keep from being blinded. He thought he saw the light envelope Snape’s hand and arm too, but he wasn’t sure. 

He heard Draco gasp behind him, but couldn’t make himself look back at him to see what was happening.


	23. Hermione's Revenge

Chapter 23 – Hermione’s Revenge

When the light vanished, Miranda was limp in Snape’s arms again, eyes closed. On her arm was what looked like a serpent tattoo winding its way upwards with its head resting above her heart, its eyes an emerald colour. Its tail disappeared between her forefinger and thumb where the cut had been made. Around her wrist were two band-like ribbons twined together: one light blue, the other black, which also seemed to be wrapped around her hand and around her ring finger. It seemed Snape had the same colors around his own ring finger. 

Frowning, Harry looked down at his own hand. A tattoo which looked eerily like fur ran from where the cut had been made to wind its way between his forefinger and thumb and around his arm, where animal paws and legs could be seen, and up over his shoulder, where the head came into view, stopping over his heart, where its nose rested, looking out at anyone who looked, its icy blue eyes looking like it could attack at any moment. 

Around his wrist were two band-like ribbons as well, though his were green and silver. Looking over at Draco, he noticed the same band-like ribbons around his wrist, hand and ring finger in exactly the same colors as his. 

What did this mean? 

Snape picked Miranda up and laid her on the bed. Taking his wand out, he took a deep breath, probably hoping this wouldn’t throw her into fits. He cast a quick diagnosis spell. When she didn’t even twitch, he sighed in relief. “It worked,” he murmured and did another diagnosis spell to see what it would give him. 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and watched as Draco put out the fires. 

The blast hit beside him, sending him flying into Draco. Both men went down in a pile of arms and legs. 

Coughing, they rose to their feet. “What the fuck was that?” Draco asked, looking for Snape in the dust. When it cleared, they found him standing a few feet in front of them, looking at… something. “What happened?” 

Harry gasped when he realized what had happened. Hermione stood in front of them, Miranda held against her chest with her wand pressed to her throat. “Thought you got away with it, didn’t you, Harry?” Her hair was almost standing on end and her eyes looked crazed. 

“What are you doing, Hermione? Nothing’s going to bring Voldemort back now. The killing curse took care of that. It’s what died that day instead of you. I know. Please don’t do this,” Harry begged, wondering what he could do to save Miranda. 

A shadow moved behind the women, but Harry stilled himself, determined not to draw any attention to it… especially if it was someone on his side. 

“I don’t care anymore. You destroyed my one chance at being happy. Now it’s too late, but I’m going to make sure you know how it feels to lose someone you love,” she said, laughing maniacally. She raised her wand to cast the killing curse, though Harry wasn’t sure who she would be aiming at, himself, Draco or Miranda. 

A streak of silver glinted in the light of the moon before burying itself into Hermione’s shoulder. She screamed and dropped Miranda, whirling around to face her attacker. A streak of green shot from her wand before Harry and Draco could tackle her to the ground. A body was flung into the air to land in a heap on the other side of the trees. 

Harry managed to pin her to the ground while Draco grabbed her wand. He it held out in both hands and broke it in two. Hermione screamed like someone had stabbed her and she began weeping, the fight suddenly gone from her. 

Snape walked over as Harry moved off Hermione and, using his wand, tied her up. “I’m sure the Aurors will want her intact… such as she is, anyway. You want to put her in one of your dungeons?” he asked Draco. 

“Yeah. I’ll have to reinforce the wards around it so she doesn’t get away,” he murmured as he lifted her up and Apparated away. 

Harry rose to his feet and moved over to where he’d seen the body fly, leaving Snape to check on Miranda. He had an idea who it was, but he wanted to make sure first. Walking over to the body, he felt his heart sink as he realized who it was. 

Miranda’s grandfather lay in the grass, body twisted, eyes open and vacant. He heard someone run up to him. “Grandfather?” Long Feather called out, stopping when he recognized Harry. 

“I’m so sorry, Long Feather,” Harry murmured, looking at the other man in sadness. “He saved Miranda’s life, but lost his own in the process.” 

Long Feather fell to his knees beside the body. “And Miranda?” 

“She’ll survive, but she’s going to have to stay here from now on,” Harry told him, not knowing what else to say. 

“I’d like to take him home now. It’s what he’d have wanted,” Long Feather said, head bowed. “Can you help me?” 

“Of course,” Harry murmured and levitated the body in the air. “Where do you want to open the portal?” 

“Here’s good enough,” the other man murmured as he rose to his feet. Harry took out the ring Miranda had given back to him a few days earlier and handed it to Long Feather, who shook his head. “Give it back to Miranda once she wakes up.” 

Activating the ring, Long Feather put it on the ground and looked over at the body hovering in the air. “Send him through, please.” 

Harry nodded and gently set the body down on the other side of the portal. “Thanks for coming.” 

Long Feather looked at Harry before nodding. “Take care of her.” 

“I will. She’s family, after all, and I take care of my family.” 

They shook hands and Long Feather walked through to the other side. The portal closed and shrunk back down into the ring. Harry bent down and picked it up, sighing sadly. _One more dead because of Voldemort_ , he thought as he shook his head. 

Draco came up behind him. “Who was it?” 

“Grandfather. I guess he knew Miranda was going to need him more than we thought. How’s Miranda?” he asked as he rose to his feet, putting the ring in his pants pocket. 

“Snape took her up to her room. Shall we go in? You still have to contact the Aurors about Hermione.” 

Harry nodded and looked up at the stars. “I thought we were all done with Voldemort, but I guess I was wrong.” 

“This isn’t your fault, Harry,” Draco murmured as he pulled Harry back against him. 

Sighing, Harry allowed himself to relax against Draco’s firm body for a few seconds. “I’d better contact the Aurors,” he murmured with another sigh and started walking towards the manor. 

Inside, Draco followed Harry into the Floo room where he bent down beside the fireplace. Taking a deep breath, he stuck his head in the green flames. When he was done, he pulled back. Two Aurors stepped through the fireplace soon after. “I’ll get her,” Draco murmured before he Apparated away. 

He was back in seconds. 

“Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter. We can count on you if we need your testimony?” 

Both men nodded, too tired to speak. Harry was glad when they were gone. He needed sleep. Then he’d take care of the Weasleys. It was almost over. 

Draco helped him to his feet and followed him up the stairs. “Want some company tonight?” he asked, hoping they could take their relationship up a notch. The look on his face told Harry he so wanted to kiss Harry again, but he wasn’t sure how it would be received. 

“Not tonight. I just want a shower and sleep. Tomorrow?” he asked, looking at Draco with a hopeful look to show the blonde that he wanted his company very much. 

Draco smile lopsidedly at him. “Alright. I’ll see you in the morning.” He leaned over and kissed Harry before he could escape into his room, thrilled when Harry kissed him back. 

“Night,” Harry murmured huskily when they finally pulled apart. He walked into his room and closed the door. 

He sighed as he dragged himself into the bathroom where he planned on letting the hot water work its magic on his tired muscles, letting his thoughts drift, hand resting on the wall in front of him while the water cascaded over him. 

All this excitement was going to kill him, he knew it, what with all the adrenaline highs and lows. It was hell on the system! 

…At least Miranda was healed now. 

Harry frowned as he thought about how the ritual had gone. Looking down, he saw again the tattoo beneath the ribbon-like bands on his wrist. The ribbons looked loose as they wound around each other, which made Harry frown even more. 

What did they represent? 

He knew the wolf represented Miranda’s love of nature, just like the snake represented Harry’s ability to talk to them. But what about the bands? Why silver and green? 

He knew Draco had the same colors he had. Was it because it represented him being Harry’s witness to the blood-bond? 

Looking closer, he noticed that at his ring finger was a small silver dragon with its wings open, almost like it was flying, its head resting just beneath his first knuckle. 

Curious. 

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, letting the water hit his face. 

Shaking his head, he picked up the soap, wanting to go to bed and collapse, and forget about everything… at least for tonight. 

He smiled as he remembered the look of disappointment on Draco’s face. He was going to have to make it up to the poor man somehow. 

When he got out of the shower, wrapping the towel around his hips, he stopped at the door leading into the bedroom in surprise. Sitting on the end of the bed was Draco. 

“Draco?” he murmured, frowning in confusion. 

Draco calmly looked back at him. “Harry,” he murmured, looking like he belonged where he was sitting. 

Harry’s frown deepened. “I thought you went to bed?” _What the hell is going on?_

Draco thought about that for a minute. “Yes, I did, but then I couldn’t sleep.” 

Harry’s eyebrows rose at that. _Okaaay_ , he drawled to himself, a little confused. _This is weird_. “And you figured… what? That we needed to talk?” 

“No,” Draco said with an amused smile. He rose to his feet and walked over to Harry, forcing the dark-haired man to back up against the bathroom door. “I figured I’d do something about it.” leaning forward, Draco caught Harry’s mouth with his before he could protest, pressing their bodies enticingly together. 

Harry was surprised at first, but then moaned in pleasure, feeling Draco’s body pressed so intimately against his, pressing his groin against Harry’s, making him hard…

Harry’s eyes snapped open… and cursed as water stung his eyes. 

_What the hell?!_

Blinking rapidly, he looked around and realized it had all been in his head. He was still standing in the shower! By himself! 

Taking a shaky breath, he looked down at himself and cursed again when he saw his arousal. “Fuck,” he muttered as he began stroking himself, picturing Draco’s smirking face and teasing looks. It didn’t take him long to take care of his… problem. 

Grabbing his towel and shutting off the water, he decided he didn’t need the shower after all. He needed sleep! 

* * *

_He could feel hands roaming all over his body, arousing him to a fever pitch…_

_Soon a mouth followed the path the hands had just traveled, making him moan at the pleasure it gave him, his skin tingling deliciously._

_He tilted his head back as the mouth reached his neck, allowing better access to the sensitive skin there._

_Yesss, he moaned, at least he thought he said it…_

_The hands caressed his hips, making all thought scatter with the feeling filling him. He just wanted more…_

* * *

Harry woke up panting and hard. What the fuck was that? What the hell woke him up? 

A hand suddenly wrapped around his length, making Harry gasp in surprise and pleasure, making him aware of the warm body pressed against his back. “Harry,” a voice breathed into his ear, before biting it lightly, shooting pleasure through Harry. 

“Draco?” he gasped, unable to make sense of what was happening. He arched against Draco’s hand, not wanting him to stop. He could feel Draco’s own length pressed against his backside and felt a need to feel it inside him. He couldn’t explain it, but he wanted it like he’d never wanted anything in his life. 

* * *

Harry’s voice seemed to bring Draco out of whatever daze he was in. He blinked in confusion. “What the fuck?” he asked as he realized where he was. 

Harry groaned when Draco stopped. “Don’t stop,” he murmured as he moved his ass against Draco, making sure he had his attention. 

Draco gasped in surprise and pleasure, his eyes darkening as he realized what was going on. He was happy, but concerned. How had he gone from his room to Harry’s? When Harry brushed against his length again, all thought flew out of his head as pleasure made him groan. 

Reaching over, he took hold of Harry’s erection once more. His other arm snaked around Harry, cradling him to his body. 

Harry reached back and ran his fingers in Draco’s smooth hair, unable to think. Turning his head, he pulled Draco closer for a kiss. 

Pulling back, Draco gasped as he looked Harry’s face, loving the look of pleasure he was seeing on the other man’s face and knowing he was the reason for it. “I want to fuck you,” he murmured in Harry’s ear before he nibbled at it, feeling a thrill when Harry moaned in response, his head moving to the side, allowing him more room to play. “Would you like that?” He pushed his erection against Harry, moaning as it pushed between the cheeks, mindful of the fact that he knew Harry had never tried this with anyone else. 

“Fuck,” Harry moaned, pushing back against Draco. “Do it,” he gasped in pleasure. 

Draco smiled and let go of Harry’s length and wandlessly called for some lube. Slicking his fingers, he gently pushed one into Harry, watching his reaction. 

Harry gasped, eyes opening slightly in surprise. When he pushed back, Draco breathed a small sigh of relief as he began moving it in and out, intent on making sure Harry’s first time with him was special. Pushing a second finger in, Harry groaned in pleasure, clutching at the sheets in front of him, even as he moved against Draco’s fingers, which were stretching him in the most delicious way. 

When a third finger joined the first two, Harry didn’t think he’d be able to take anymore. And then he felt Draco angle his fingers a little and pleasure made his cock twitch in response, making Harry cry out and his hips rock in response as Draco hit his prostate. 

Draco chuckled at the look of utter pleasure on Harry’s face and pulled his hand away, making Harry whimper at the loss. “Shh,” he whispered in Harry’s ear as he lined himself up and pushed into Harry’s prepared hole. 

Both men gasped at the tightness. “Push back against me,” Draco murmured into Harry’s ear, holding him close. Harry did as Draco said and moaned in pleasure as he felt Draco’s length slide in, stretching him some more, but not in a painful way, like Harry had thought it would. 

“Fuck,” he gasped as he felt Draco’s balls resting against his own. He moved his hips a little and groaned at the pleasure the small movement caused. 

“Ready?” Draco asked, panting with the effort to take it easy. Harry nodded, panting in pleasure, and cried out when Draco moved, making lights dance behind his eyelids. He’d never imagined it could be like this, never with Ginny had he felt such pleasure. 

It took Draco a couple of tries, but he managed to find the bundle of nerves inside Harry and pushed against it, enjoying the noises coming from his lover and was glad he was the first man to ever make Harry react like this. All the waiting had been worth it in the end, just to see Harry’s reactions. Reaching forwards, he took hold of Harry’s cock once more and moved his hand in time to his own movements inside Harry. 

“Want to touch you,” Harry gasped as he arched against Draco. 

Panting in pleasure, Draco pulled out of Harry, ignoring the whimper at the loss, and rolled Harry onto his back before entering him hard. Harry moaned at the force. “More,” he groaned as he reached out and tangled his hands in Draco’s hair, pulling him down for a heated kiss. 

Draco was more than willing to oblige as he increased the pace, pulling back and slamming hard into Harry. Both men moaned, their cries muffled by their kiss as Draco did it again. 

“Fuck, yes,” Harry cried as he released Draco’s mouth, arching up to meet Draco’s next thrust. He could feel pleasure gathering inside of him and knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. Reaching between them, he stroked himself. 

A few seconds later, he tensed and cried out as his release splashed between them, clenching around Draco inside him, making the other shove deep inside him as he reached his own climax, filling Harry. Draco collapsed onto Harry, both panting hard, eyes closed as they enjoyed the bliss. 

They fell asleep that way, Harry’s arms around Draco, who was still buried inside him, neither man noticing how their wrists had been glowing.


	24. We're... What?

Chapter 24 – We’re… What? 

Snape sat with Miranda as she slept, rereading the ritual. Why would he and Draco have to cut their thumbs if all they were supposed to be were witnesses? He frowned as he mentally translated the lines he was reading from old Latin to English. 

His eyes widened as he realized the error he’d made in the translation. He looked at his hand and wrist and saw the faint outline of a wolf, stretched out like it was taking a running leap, around his ring finger. “Well, great,” he growled softly as he scowled at it. “I’m now married.” 

He rose to his feet and walked over to Miranda, taking her left hand in his, examining the shape there. He frowned as he saw hers was different from his. Hers looked like a black owl with its wings spread wide, like it was flying. 

Bringing the book back up, he read again, his frown deepening as he translated the words. His eyes widened in surprise. _So these are the representation of our inner selves?_

Interesting. 

He sat down, still reading and wondered what Harry’s and Draco’s would look like. 

Suddenly his wrist began to glow and he gasped in surprise and dropped the book, clutching at the arms of the chair as pleasure swept through him. _What the fuck?_

In his mind, he could see himself in bed with Miranda, but fought the urge to get up and do what he was seeing. Looking over at Miranda, he noticed her wrist was glowing as well, but she was so exhausted she didn’t even stir. Snape closed his eyes and forced his body to obey him. Years of practice with Voldemort allowed him to gain the upper hand… barely. 

His wrist pulsed lightly then subsided, leaving him panting and hard. 

If this was how his night was going to go, he was going to have to invest in cold showers, he thought ruefully as he found his page again, marked it and rose to his feet. Since he needed to keep an eye on Miranda, he decided to use her bathroom to take care of his… problem. 

In the shower, he began to wonder if Harry and Draco were going to have the same dilemma and laughed softly. Draco was going to get what he wanted after all… just not in the way he’d thought. He laughed harder when the implications of this ritual dawned on him. 

So much for the Weasley problem! 

* * *

Miranda stretched, biting back a groan as her muscles protested the movement. Well, at least she wasn’t aching all over, like before. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see Snape still sitting there, asleep. Frowning, she carefully propped herself up, waiting for the usual pain. 

When nothing happened, her eyes flew back to the sleeping man. _So_ , she thought in relief. _His ritual actually worked. Did he stay here all night?_ Being careful not to make any noise, not wanting to wake Severus up, she got up. She stopped herself from hissing in slight pain as muscles, unaccustomed to movements for so long, were forced to move once more… but at least she didn’t feel like her bones were about to break apart on her. 

By the time she got to the bathroom, she was walking more normally and was glad moving didn’t seem to be too difficult. She was still sore, but at least it was manageable. 

Once done in the bathroom, she walked into the closet, wondering if there might be clothes there she could use. To her surprise, she did find clothes and, even though they seemed to be men’s, they looked like they might fit her. 

Frowning, she looked at them a little closer and realized that they were, in fact, not men’s clothing. Perhaps they were Draco’s old school clothes? Or at least something he would‘ve worn as a teenager? Shrugging, she pulled on a pair of cream colored pants that fit her perfectly. She was impressed at the silky feel of the material. 

Looking further, she found a black shirt with silver trim. It looked expensive. She debated with whether or not to wear it, but then realized that if it was in this closet, it must mean Draco didn’t wear it anymore. With a dismissive shrug, she pulled it on and buttoned it up, tucking it in the pants. 

On the floor, she noticed several pairs of really nice boots, and bit her lip before she snagged up a pair and put them on. Looking around, she noticed the mirror standing in the corner and took a hesitant step to look at herself. She gasped as she saw how she looked in the expensive clothes and wondered if Draco would say anything about her wearing his old clothes. 

Going back into the bathroom, she located a brush and sighed in pleasure as she untangled the mess that was her hair, letting it flow freely down her back. Blinking back at her reflection, she noticed what she’d missed when she’d first looked in it. Her hair seemed to have acquired black streaks in it and upon closer inspection, her eyes were no longer completely a light blue, but had green flecks in it too. 

With a sigh, she shrugged indifferently. It wasn’t like she could do anything about it. Leaving the bathroom, she looked in on Snape again before heading downstairs for breakfast. At the bottom of the stairs, she hesitated, wondering where she was supposed to go. 

“Jarett?” she called out, surprised when the house-elf popped in front of her. 

“Mistress feel better?” he asked hesitantly, looking up at her anxiously. 

She smiled at him. “Yes. Where do I go for breakfast?” she asked, looking around again. 

“This way,” he told her, humming happily as he led her towards the dining room. 

The kids were already sitting, eating their breakfast. 

* * *

That was where Snape found her and he frowned at her in annoyance. He’d wanted to talk to her before she left her room, but he hadn’t heard her move around the room, which surprised him, considering how much of a light sleeper he was. 

“Morning,” she said with a smile on her face, which only made his mood even worse. He sat on the other side of the table and made himself a cup of tea. He watched as an eyebrow rose and she looked at him unsure if she should talk to him or not. 

* * *

Harry became aware of something warm lying against him and frowned in confusion. Opening his eyes a little he saw blonde hair. His eyes opened wider in wonder as the events of last night came back to him. _Wow_! he thought to himself as he looked Draco over. 

Sometime during the night, Draco must’ve shifted his weight off Harry, though they were still wrapped in each other’s arms. Even their legs were twined together, almost like their bodies hadn’t wanted to part, even in sleep. 

He looked at Draco’s sleeping face with a soft smile of wonder. Last night had been wonderful… 

Harry frowned in thought. How had that happened? He knew he had bid Draco goodnight and that he’d left for his own room, but then there was that… dream in the shower, which had felt _very_ real. 

“Don’t frown,” Draco mumbled sleepily before he yawned. “You’ll get wrinkles.” He smiled at the line. 

“Morning,” Harry murmured, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you’d be awake yet.” 

Draco shrugged and snuggled closer to Harry, making him chuckle. 

“We have to get up, though.” Harry sighed sadly. Draco looked up at him questioningly. “We have to go check on Miranda and get ready for court. 

Draco groaned in protest, but rolled onto his back. “Time for a shower, I guess,” he grumbled. 

Harry laughed and threw the blankets back, wincing a little at the unexpected soreness, but he ignored it, knowing it would go away. Draco noticed the wince but left it, knowing if Harry wanted to talk about it, he would. 

They took a shower together… which dissolved into another lovemaking session, to Draco’s delight. 

It was when they were both getting dressed that Draco noticed Harry had stopped pulling clothes on and was frowning. “What’s wrong?” 

Harry looked up at Draco. “How did you get into my room?” he asked curiously. “I mean, I know you went to your own room and you weren’t here when I came out of the bathroom. So how did you get here?” 

Draco frowned as he thought about it. “I’m not quite sure. I remember going to bed… and then I was here with you.” He pulled his shirt on and stopped, looking at his hand. 

“What’s wrong?” 

He walked over to Harry and showed him his hand. “It’s more pronounced than it was last night.” Harry frowned as he saw that the serpent around Draco’s finger was indeed dark. 

Looking down at his own hand, Harry noticed that his dragon was also darker. “That’s weird. We’re going to have to ask Snape about this, maybe he’ll know what all this is about.” 

Draco agreed and they finished getting dressed. 

Downstairs, they were surprised to see Miranda sitting there talking to the kids. Snape sat watching them, a frown on his face. 

“Morning, everyone,” Draco murmured as they sat down. 

Snape nodded to them, while the kids greeted their parents in their happy and loud way. Miranda smiled at them. “What’s on the agenda for today?” she asked them. 

Harry noticed that her appetite wasn’t quite back yet, though it looked like she’d eaten more this morning than she had last night. “Unfortunately, court.” 

Miranda’s eyebrows rose at that. 

“All four of us are going to have to go to the Ministry,” he said as he cast a quick look at the boys who were too busy talking about what they wanted to do first. Understanding lit up Miranda’s eyes and she nodded. 

“Afterwards, can we stop somewhere to buy music and a player?” she asked hopefully. 

Snape’s and Draco’s eyebrows rose at that. 

“Sure, but I don’t know if it’ll work here. They don’t have electricity and electronics tend to short out. I can’t see why we can’t try though,” Harry told her before taking a bite of his toast. He’d forgotten how she liked to dance when she wanted to exercise or just to let off some steam. 

Miranda frowned but nodded. 

Harry frowned as a thought occurred to him. “That reminds me, we’re going to need someone to watch the kids while we’re gone. I think it’s important that all four of us go today.” 

“Why can’t we take them with us?” Miranda asked and was surprised when two of the three men looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “What? We could make it a day.” 

“Apparently custody battles aren’t the same in your world as they are here,” Snape drawled, and watched as a fire lit up behind Miranda’s eyes as she became angry. “They can be quite traumatic here. I don’t think we want them hearing what could be inappropriate.” 

“So then what do you suggest?” she asked angrily, an eyebrow going up in challenge. “That we leave the children here for them to fend for themselves with only the house-elves to watch them?” Snape stiffened slightly at her quick temper. 

“Perhaps we could send all four of them to Long Feather for a few hours?” Draco suggested, looking from Snape to Miranda, wondering just what was up with the two of them. He knew Snape could be hard on someone’s nerves, but he thought they were getting along. Where was this coming from? 

Miranda sighed and threw her napkin on the table. “Come on, kids, let’s go outside,” she said before she left the room followed by bewildered children, carrying Lily who’d been sitting in a high chair at the table. 

Draco sat back in his chair and looked at Snape in surprise. “What was that all about?” 

Snape’s lips tightened in frustration. “I reread the ritual last night and found out something,” he said instead. 

“And?” Harry asked, wanting to ask some questions, but not knowing how they would be received. 

“It appears that both of you were married last night.” 

Both men looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Sorry, I think I mis-heard you,” Draco murmured after a couple minutes of silence. “It sounded like you said we were married.” 

“You heard correctly,” Snape said, refusing to look at either of them. 

Harry frowned in confusion. “I thought we did a blood-bond last night. When exactly did the marriage part come in?” 

Draco sat up straight in his chair. “The cut on the thumb?” he asked the old Potions master. 

Snape nodded and cleared his throat. “Did anything strange happen after the ritual?” Now he looked at each of them, studying them closely. He noticed colour rise in Harry’s cheeks as the men looked at each other. 

Harry cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Yeah, we were kind of wondering about that.” 

“That was the marriage part.” The men were surprised to see Snape shift uncomfortably in his chair. “I haven’t told Miranda about it yet.” 

“So she has no idea?” Draco asked in surprise before he frowned as a thought occurred to him. “Wait, how did you resist the pull?” 

Snape cleared his throat. “Miranda was dead to the world when the… spell… activated. It took all my control not to take advantage of that fact. We haven’t… finished.” 

Harry and Draco were amused and shocked at the slight colouring in Snape’s face as he stammered slightly in his explanation. 

“Um… when do you plan on telling her?” Harry asked, biting his lip to keep the smile off his face. 

Snape glared at him. “Not at this moment, _Mr_. Potter,” he growled in annoyance. “Which brings us to the question of surnames.” It was Snape’s turn to smirk in amusement at the blank look on their faces. 

“Surnames?” Harry asked, feeling like a parrot. Then he realized what Snape meant. “Can’t we just keep our own?” 

Draco shrugged in indifference. “It’s not like it matters.” 

“Actually, Draco, it does. Seeing as Rebecca will take on her husband’s surname when she marries, you have no one to carry on the Malfoy name. Unless one of Potter’s kids changes their surname to Malfoy,” Snape drawled, watching them puzzle this out with glee. “Or unless you have another male child that would carry the Malfoy name.” 

The look on Harry’s face was precious. His jaw had dropped in surprise. “Another child? How the hell are we supposed to pull that one off?” 

_Oh this is too easy_ , Snape thought as a slow smile spread on his face. “How else would you create a child, Potter?” 

Harry turned pale then red as his face flamed up in embarrassment. “Get a surrogate to bear the child?” 

Draco laughed, he couldn’t help it. “We can talk about that another time,” he told them as he dug into his breakfast. 

“Talk about what?” Miranda asked as she walked into the room. “The kids are with Long Feather,” she told them as she sat down, but didn’t take her napkin. 

“Babies,” Draco told her with an amused look. 

Miranda’s eyebrows rose and looked from him to Harry. “Do I even want to know?” 

“No,” Harry said before Draco could answer, earning him a smile from him. “Didn’t you need the ring to contact Long Feather?” Harry asked when he remembered he still had it… and it was in his room. 

“No, that was just for you to use,” she told him with a shrug. “It appears I can still do my type of magic, despite the changes. 

“Changes?” Draco asked in surprise. He hadn’t noticed any changes in Miranda, other than her temper. 

“It seems that my eyes have acquired a little bit of green and my hair has black streaks in it,” she said as she pulled some of her hair over her shoulder so they could see the black in her otherwise dirty blonde hair. It made her look a little different, once you noticed the changes. “When do we leave?” 

“We should go now, actually,” Snape told them as he did a quick Tempus to check the time.


	25. Family Court

Chapter 25 – Family Court 

At the Ministry of Magic, Harry could tell that Miranda was overwhelmed by everything going on around her. 

Before leaving, he’d overheard the fight between Miranda and Snape about the clothes she’d chosen to wear. He’d wanted her to wear the dress Draco had bought her and she’d flat out refused. They’d compromised. She could wear the clothes she currently had on, but wore robes over them. 

Snape still wasn’t completely happy… but it was better than nothing. 

Taking her hand, Harry squeezed it reassuringly. She smiled at him and moved closer to him. “I didn’t believe you when you described this place.” Harry looked at the people crowding around the Atrium and laughed as he led the group to the nearest elevator. “Come on. This shouldn’t take too long.” 

In the elevator, he felt sorry for her as it jerked into motion. She just hung on to him, her face a little pale. “You actually did this every day?” she asked in surprise. 

“You get used to it after a while.” The look she threw him told him she didn’t believe him. Snape stood close by, glaring at anyone who dared to try to look at her, probably wondering who the woman hanging on to Harry was. Harry just ignored them. 

When they reached their floor, they gratefully left the elevator. “We have to go through that ordeal again when we leave, don’t we?” she asked, and Harry felt for her. He didn’t like the elevator either. Only Severus seemed to the three people watching them at the end of the corridor. 

“Unfortunately, we do,” Snape murmured as he removed her hand from Harry’s arm, giving her his instead. Harry blinked at him questioningly. “The Weasley family is watching. They already think you’ve taken their daughter’s place in Harry’s bed. Let’s not give them any more ammunition to use today,” he said as he led her away from Harry and down the corridor. Harry frowned at the implication and followed behind, walking next to Draco. 

“I suppose I shouldn’t have taken Harry’s hand when we got here, huh?” he heard her ask Snape and began to wonder what people were thinking when they’d seen him take her hand. Probably not the best move on his part. 

“It doesn’t matter. It was more like a brother comforting his sister. Don’t care about what people think,” he murmured dismissively as they neared the group. 

“So this is the… woman you’re parading in front of Ginny’s kids,” Molly sneered, looking Miranda over like she was a piece of gum under her shoe. 

Harry watched as Miranda stiffened in anger. “And this is the… woman whose putting those same kids through hell,” she shot back with an eyebrow raised aristocratically. Harry noticed the smirk on Draco’s face at the shot and knew what the blonde was thinking. Not many people could pull off that look unless they had been practicing it… a lot. 

Arthur grabbed hold of Molly’s arm before she could attack. “Not here, Molly,” he told her warningly, frowning at the hatred in his wife’s eyes and seemed to be wondering if they were really doing the right thing. 

“Molly, Arthur, Charlie,” Harry greeted in turn, nodding to each person. “I’d like to present you to my sister, Miranda,” Harry said and watched as a look of confusion came over the family’s faces. He could see the doubt in his brother-in-law’s face. 

“We all know you’re an only child, Harry. What are you playing at?” Charlie demanded, frowning. 

“Miranda is Harry’s blood-sister as of last night,” Draco told them, face impassive. “It’s how he saved her life.” 

“What?” Arthur asked hesitantly, looking from Miranda to Harry. “Saved her from what?” 

“From death, of course,” Snape drawled and gestured for them to enter the court room. “Shall we continue with this farce? I’m sure the judge would be interested in how you’ve been slandering Harry’s relations with his new sister.” 

The Weasley family, barring Molly, of course, hesitated in surprise before they entered the room. 

“I think they’re realizing they acted before getting all the facts,” Draco murmured as he led the way into the room where the lawyers were already waiting. Inside, the room was simple, simpler than the court rooms the Wizengamot used. This one contained three tables. The two the lawyers sat at, the judge’s table with faced the lawyers’ tables and was about six inches higher than them. Along the walls behind the lawyers’ tables were chairs. The number indicated how many witnesses the parties had. “Ah, Arnold, you made it,” Draco said by way of greeting as he walked over to their table. 

“Draco, thanks for the note. Is everything in order?” the man asked as he shook hands with first Draco then Harry. “This, then, is Miranda?” he asked with a pleasant smile as he reached out to shake her hand, smiling at the look of surprise on her face. 

“Here’s all the papers you wanted,” Snape murmured as he produced a contract of the blood ritual they had done along with extra papers. Arnold’s eyebrows rose at the extra papers which rose further still as he read them. “Are these accurate?” he asked in surprise. 

“I need to speak with Miranda before all this begins,” Snape murmured as he led her out of the room. 

* * *

In the corridor, Snape closed the door. He could feel Miranda’s eyes on him. “What’s wrong?” she asked when he hesitated, trying to figure out how to tell her of their marriage. 

“This might come as a shock to you and I wanted you to know before it’s announced inside that room,” Snape began, trying to buy time, thinking fast. 

“Alright,” Miranda murmured, eyes narrowed. 

Snape could see the wariness in her eyes as she looked at him. This was _not_ how he’d wanted to tell her, but by the time he woke up this morning she’d already gone. He’d wanted her to have time to process this information. 

He sighed, not seeing any other way to tell her. “It appears that we’re married.” Whatever reaction he’d expected, he didn’t expect her to just look at him like he’d lost his mind and turned to walk back into the room but stopped at the door. He frowned as he watched her go. He’d expected her to sputter, get angry, yell, anything but this. 

Turning to see what had stopped her, he was surprised to see Molly standing there, huffing angrily at Miranda. “How dare you show your face here with that ludicrous story about being Harry’s sister?” the woman hissed angrily. “Especially when everyone knows it’s a lie.” 

Snape froze as he felt a cold breeze and saw Miranda’s hair and hands move a little. _Oh no_ , he thought as he watched Molly squeak as she rose an inch off the floor and move closer to Miranda. _It would seem she’s picked up more of Harry’s powers than I expected… or is this her own?_

“How dare _you_ treat Harry like you have? In all the letters he wrote me, he always described you as a loving mother figure. What gives you the right to make his life a living hell after what Ginny’s put him through these last few months? Or what Hermione wanted to do to James? Do you _really_ think you can do a better job this time around?” Miranda growled angrily, watching as Molly’s face paled at the anger and power she could see in Miranda’s eyes. 

“Miranda, stop,” Snape murmured as he moved towards her. 

“Why should I?” she asked, eyes narrowed dangerously. 

“Because this won’t help Harry. Let the courts deal with this,” he told her as he laid a gentle hand on her arm. “Don’t sink to her level. Hurting her is only going to hurt Harry in the long run.” 

He felt the power drop and Molly dropped down on her feet, staggering slightly as she regained her balance. Miranda shrugged his hand off her and walked into the room, ignoring Molly, who was clutching at her chest and glaring at her again. “She attacked me,” Molly sputtered in shock and anger, looking up at Snape, probably looking for support from him. 

His eyes narrowed dangerously. “If you _attempt_ to use this in court, I’ll make sure they also know you started this,” he told her before he swept past her. He saw Miranda standing between the door and Harry’s table, looking like she didn’t know what to do. Touching her arm, he motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs lining the wall. 

She didn’t say anything, simply turned and sat down, avoiding his gaze by closing her eyes. He sighed in exasperation as he sat down beside her. He didn’t mind saying he hated this defeated act, it didn’t suit what he’d come to know about her. What had changed? 

* * *

The hearing was going alright so far, but when Harry looked over at Molly and Arthur, he could see the hatred in Molly’s eyes, although Arthur seemed to be looking at his wife with a slight frown. Was he finally seeing what she was turning into? 

“And what of this proof you say you have?” the judge asked, looking over at the Weasleys’ table. 

“Our son, Ronald, was at the house when Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter and the woman in question were gathered in the back yard,” Arthur said, though he didn’t seem so sure he wanted this anymore. 

“And is your son here today to testify as to what he saw?” the judge asked, frowning at him. 

“No, he refused to testify against his life-long friend,” Arthur murmured, looking apologetic. 

The judge’s eyebrow rose at that. “I was under the impression you had physical proof, like photos or something.” 

“Your Honour,” Arnold said, rising to his feet. “Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter handed these to me today.” He held out the papers in question and the judge levitated them over to his bench. 

“What is that?” Molly demanded, jumping to her feet. “Some trick or something?” 

“Mrs. Weasley,” the judge said in exasperation. “Sit down until I’ve had a chance to examine these.” 

With a huff, Molly sat down, glaring over at Harry’s side of the room. 

They watched as the judge’s eyebrows rose at what he was reading. “This says Mr. Potter and Ms. Monroe are blood-siblings?” he questioned, looking up at Harry then over at Miranda. 

“Yes, your Honour,” Harry said. 

“Lies!” Molly screamed, jumping to her feet again. 

Harry looked back when he heard Miranda sigh in exasperation, and watched as she rose to her feet and pulled the robes off. She threw it on the chair and unbuttoned her shirt. 

“I hope there’s a point to you disrobing in this court room, Ms. Monroe,” the judge murmured, a little alarmed. 

“Yes, sir, there is. Please be patient.” They watched as Miranda walked to the center of the room. Severus was relieved to see she’d worn a camisole under her shirt. As she pulled the shirt off her arms, they could see the tattoo on it. Just to make sure they could all see it, she held out her arm for them to see clearly. She turned to glare at Molly. “Satisfied?” she drawled, waiting a minute before she pulled the shirt back on and walked calmly back to her chair, not bothering with buttoning up the shirt, pulling the robes over her lap. 

Harry and Draco looked at each other and hid their smirks, not wanting the judge to think they were laughing at him. Miranda had just proved that the claims of Miranda being Harry’s lover were unfounded and all without saying a word. 

“This also says that Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter are married, through the same ritual? The same with Headmaster Snape and Ms. Monroe?” the judge said after a few minutes of silence. 

“Yes, your Honor,” Draco said, showing his hand where the tattoo could easily be seen. 

“This is all a ploy! Those kids are mine!” Molly screeched out. 

“Molly, sit down,” Arthur said, trying to physically pull her down. 

“No,” she yelled angrily. “I want my children. Give them to me!” 

“Mrs. Weasley, I will not tell you again. Sit down and be quiet or I’ll have this case dismissed,” the judge warned in exasperation. 

“I don’t care what they say! They have to give me those kids!” Molly yelled, arms waving angrily. 

“That’s it. Since there’s no basis for a charge of child abuse in the Potter and Malfoy residence, your claim is dismissed and I am lodging a formal complaint against your family. No one will ever take your claims of child abuse seriously again.” The judge banged the gavel down and left the room. 

Molly screamed, trying to get around Arthur to get to Harry. 

Miranda rose to her feet. “I can’t take her screaming anymore. I’ll wait for you by the elevator,” she told Snape as she walked by him. 

“Don’t forget to button up,” he told her as he got up, smirking at the look she threw at him as he walked over to Harry and Draco. “Let’s go before we end up with a scene,” he murmured as he gestured where the whole Weasley family were struggling with Molly. 

“Draco,” Arnold murmured as they shook hands. “I’ll come by later this week to talk about that investment you wished to make.” 

“Of course,” Draco murmured as they turned to leave the room. “Where’s Miranda?” he asked when he didn’t see her. 

“She’s waiting by the elevator. Molly’s screaming was grating on her nerves. We’d better go before she decides to leave us behind,” Snape drawled as they left the room and saw her leaning, with a foot propped against the wall, hands behind her, head back with her eyes closed. 

Snape frowned in disapproval when he realized she put the robes back on, but they were open and the shirt she’d unbuttoned wasn’t buttoned up like it should be. Instead she’d tied the bottom up, revealing her camisole. 

“Are you alright?” Harry asked when they got closer to her. 

“Yeah, I was just starting with a headache with all her screaming echoing around the room,” she told them as she looked at them and noticed someone coming up behind them. “Heads up.” 

They turned to see what she was talking about and saw Arthur Weasley coming over. “Harry,” he murmured, clearly uncomfortable. 

“Arthur, what can I help you with?” Harry asked warily. _Now what?_

“I wanted to apologize for our recent behavior and for Molly’s actions today. I’ve never seen her act like this before. I think finding out about Ginny going to Azkaban might have driven her a little mad. We’re going to take her to St Mungo’s to make sure.” Harry was surprised to see him hesitate. “I was wondering, once everything’s calmed down, if we could come visit with the children? That’s if Molly’s feeling better, of course.” 

_Well, at least they don’t expect me to allow them to go there just yet_ , Harry thought as he looked at the one man he’d always considered his father. “I’d like that, but first Draco and I have to talk to the kids and see what they want.” Harry reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Give them a bit of time and they’ll forgive what happened,” he told him, with a gentle smile. 

Arthur looked at him with hope in his eyes. “Let me know when they want the visit, then,” he said with a quick nod and turned to go back to his family waiting by the court room, a subdued Molly glaring back at them. 

“You forgive too quickly, Harry,” Miranda murmured as she frowned back at the Weasleys, but then shrugged. “But then I can understand why you did.” 

“That’s why we get along so well,” he said with a small smile as he opened the door to the elevator, gesturing for them to go ahead. 

“Yeah, well, if I’m going to stay in this world of yours, I need more clothes. And no, I’m not talking about your kind of clothes either. If I wanted to die of heat stroke, then I’d agree,” she told them as Draco’s eyes lit up at the mention of shopping. “I agree that I’m going to need clothes to interact with these people, but I’ll do it on my terms.” 

Snape’s frowned deepened. “You’ll still need our clothes as well.” 

“As long as not all of them are dresses,” she said, noticing his frown, and Harry could tell this was going to be a fight between these two. “Give me a break. You have to remember I wasn’t raised here. I don’t _like_ wearing dresses all that much.” 

“Maybe you can start a new trend,” Draco murmured, trying to play the peacemaker. 

This should be interesting. 

When they reached the Atrium, there was the flash of a camera, capturing the four of them as they exited the elevator. “Mr. Potter! Who’s the new woman in your life?” one reporter asked. 

“How long have you been seeing each other?” another asked and took another picture of them, seeming to center on Harry and Miranda, who stood behind him. 

“Excuse me, but we’re not seeing each other. She’s my sister,” Harry stammered in surprise. How could things get so out of hand? 

The reporters gave them knowing smirks. “Of course,” was all one of the reporters said. 

“Ms. Monroe was recently adopted into the Potter family and is now an aunt to Mr. Potter’s children,” Draco said coldly, pinning the reporter on the spot with his eyes. “And if we read otherwise, I’ll make sure you have no job by close of business tomorrow.” 

With that, he ushered the group towards the Floo Network. They Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, figuring it could be their central point. This way they could go to Muggle London and Diagon Alley easily. 

“ _That’s_ what you went through every day since you entered the Wizarding world?” Miranda asked, face pale. “No wonder you hate the press.” 

Harry sighed and nodded. “Now you know why I kept you a secret. I didn’t want you to have to face stuff like that. Now,” he said with a shrug, “there’s nothing to do but wait and see if they have it right.” 

“Would you really have that reporter lose his job?” she asked Draco with a frown. 

Draco shrugged and smirked at her. “My father bought shares in the _Daily Prophet_ years back and it seems I now own over half the voting shares. If I wanted, I could fire all of them and no one would be able to stop me.” 

“Wow.” 

“Let’s go shopping,” Draco murmured with a gleam in his eyes.


	26. Babies?

Chapter 26 – Babies? 

Miranda sighed and looked at all the bags she had on the floor. Snape had shrunk them all down and put them inside one bag, which had intrigued her, unfortunately it also made her lose track of just how much she’d bought. She’d managed to make a slight dent in her savings with all the purchases she was sure, but the sour look on Snape’s face at some of the outfits had made it worthwhile. 

She’d even manage to sneak an outfit in her purchases for Snape, though she’d had to guess his size. 

Then they’d made a trip to Diagon Alley and bought a few more outfits… and dresses, she thought with a frown, which Harry had paid for since she didn’t have money they recognized. Snape had promised to help her exchange some of her money in a few days, once she was ready to shop for supplies… whatever that meant. 

Diagon Alley hadn’t been what she thought it would be. Surprise was an understatement when it came to what she’d seen. She hadn’t believed Harry when he’d described the place in his letters, now she knew he hadn’t exaggerated. She wondered if the creatures in this world were just as wonderful as he’d described. 

When they’d arrived home she immediately changed into one of her new outfits, stretch pants and loose shirt, glad to get out of the hot and stuffy clothing she’d worn to court. 

“Jarett?” she called out, still unsure if the house-elf would answer. How could they hear their names called when they weren’t even in the room when you called them? 

“Mistress?” he answered, making her whirl around in surprise. “I be sorry, Mistress,” he murmured, bowing low and cringing slightly, like he expected her to hit him or something. “Jarett didn’t mean to scare Mistress.” 

“That’s alright, Jarett. Can you do me a favor and put these clothes away for me?” she asked, wondering again why these little creatures liked serving humans. She also noticed he was still wearing the ribbons she’d tied to his rags. 

“Yes, Mistress,” he said with a smile as he snapped his fingers. All the bags levitated off the floor. 

“Oh, all but this one,” she said as she grabbed the closest bag. “Thank you,” she said and caressed the top of his head as he walked by her, making the house-elf hum happily. 

Smiling, she went in search of an empty room she could listen to some music in where it wouldn’t bother anyone. _Which shouldn’t be a problem_ , she thought as she realized just how big the Manor was. _Just how many rooms does this place have_? 

Opening one door, she was surprised to see it empty of anything… sort of. Walking in, she looked at all the beautiful statues lining the walls. “Wow,” she whispered as she looked at each one. The black marble tiles were a nice contrast with all the white statues. 

Pulling the radio and CDs from her bag, she decided this would be the perfect place for her workout. 

Putting the first CD in, she walked to the center of the room where she sat down on the floor to do her warm-up. Once done, she began her gymnastics. She loved doing this, loved the jumps, the tumbling, all of it. 

When she was done, she walked over to the radio and changed CDs, panting at the exertion. She was sweating pretty good, but didn’t want to stop just yet, so putting in a CD that had a quick beat to most of the songs she walked back to the center of the room. 

An ex-boyfriend had taught her a few moves a few years ago, teaching her how to tell what moves could be appropriate for certain beats. It had made the Bar scene more fun when she’d gone with her friends… when she _had_ gone out. She frowned as the music began, realizing the bar scene was probably out of the question now. 

She’d wanted to just push away everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks or so, but the events seemed intent on intruding. She walked back a few steps before she began dancing, not seeing the shadow that snuck into the room behind her. 

She tried to concentrate on the song playing, concentrate on the next move, but her heart wasn’t in it anymore. She managed to dance a song and a half before she twirled to a stop. Walking around the room, she ran both hands through her hair in frustration, looking up at the ceiling. What was she going to do? she wondered, hands on hips. 

Married! 

Of all the things she could’ve learned about today, marriage hadn’t been one of them. And to a man she barely knew. 

She’d been down this road before. It had taken a restraining order – which hadn’t worked – and hiding out on the animal reserve to finally get him to stop hounding her, and that had only come about because he couldn’t find her. 

Shaking her head, she began dancing again, just wanting to forget all the bruises and broken bones. 

When the next song began, she pushed herself to dance through it, though she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Once again, choices had been taken from her and there was nothing she could do about it. She could feel tears running down her cheeks, mixing with the sweat, but ignored them. 

Another song began, but she didn’t even hear it. Halfway through, she fell to her knees, her hair cascading around her face and she closed her eyes, rocking a little, felling numb. She raised her fist up and smashed it into the floor, unable to help herself, wanting to feel _some_ thing. She gasped in pain as bone met unforgiving floor. The pain was at least driving the numbness away. She raised it to do it again, but a hand caught her wrist. She gasped in surprise, and looked up into troubled obsidian eyes. 

* * *

Snape heard strange music coming from the ballroom as he was walking by and realized it had to be Miranda. Sneaking inside, he stood in the shadows, watching her dance. 

He was impressed. 

He hadn’t thought she could dance like that. _Must be how they dance at home_ , he thought as he leaned back against the wall. He’d wanted to talk to her while she was alone, but found he was enjoying the way she danced freely and was loath to disturb her just yet. 

She twirled to a stopped, running her hands through her hair in frustration, and Snape realized that whatever she’d wanted to avoid think about wouldn’t leave her alone. He frowned, wondering if she was regretting her decision to allow the ritual to proceed. He watched as she shook her head and began dancing again. The song ended and another began, and still she danced. He could see sweat soaking her shirt, matting her hair to her face. 

He didn’t think she was going to stop when a new song started but she fell to her knees, rocking slightly, and he realized she was crying. When he saw her fist come down hard on the floor, he heard her gasp in pain and rushed over without thinking about what he was doing. He caught her wrist before it went more than half way down on the second swing. 

He heard her gasp in surprise and watched her, troubled by what he saw in her eyes. “Miranda?” 

She looked away in embarrassment, but didn’t say anything. 

“Talk to me,” he murmured, kneeling beside her. He wanted to understand what she was going through. If she didn’t talk to him, he couldn’t help her. She leaned into him, and he could feel the tension leave her body as she laid her head against his chest, eyes closed. 

“It doesn’t matter,” she murmured, letting her hair hide her face, but he wasn’t letting her hide. He brushed her hair from her face with one hand while cradling her injured hand in the other one. 

“It does. If you don’t talk to me, I can’t help,” he told her, running his fingers through her hair like his fingers had been itching to do since he’d met her. “What’s wrong?” 

She laughed, and it held a slightly hysterical tone to it that worried him. Picking her up, he decided to take her upstairs where they could have privacy without anyone walking in. “Put me down,” she gasped in protest, but he didn’t stop. He walked over to her radio and pushed the button labeled stop and Apparated to his bedroom door. “For fuck sakes, Severus, I’m not a goddamn shrinking violet to be coddled,” she growled, frowning at him. 

“Indulge me,” he murmured as he walked into his room where he had healing salve in his bag. She huffed, but didn’t say anything else. He put her down on the bed and walked over to his bag. Coming back with bandages and the salve, he pulled a chair closer. “Now, please explain to me why you would want to break your hand against a rock floor.” 

Miranda sighed as she watched him clean and bandage her hand. _Probably broke it_ , she thought distantly, thought it wasn’t hurting anymore. 

She blinked at him when she realized he was looking at her, waiting for an answer. “A few years ago, I was engaged to be married to this man,” she began. Snape felt chills run up his spine at the emotionless tone her voice had taken on, but he stopped himself from asking any questions, not wanting her to stop her explanation. He didn’t have to worry about that. It seemed that once she started talking about it, she couldn’t stop. “He was really charming,” she said with a shrug, eyes glued to her bandaged hand in Snape’s hand. 

“One night I came home from work,” she frowned, trying to force the words she’d buried for so long. “He’d been drinking with his friends and I guess they… started saying things.” She shook her head and Snape could see she was struggling with the memory. “I woke up the next morning, barely able to move. My roommate found me and called an ambulance. I spent the next three weeks in intensive care. My grandfather told me it had been touch and go, for a while. I don’t remember much about those three weeks except waking up a few times in pain.” 

Snape forced himself to remain still, he wanted to ask just what her former fiancé and his friends had done, but he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know. He didn’t understand some of the words she’d used, but he had an idea of what they meant and he didn’t like what was coming to his mind. He also noticed how she said she didn’t remember much of her time in this hospital, though not about what they did to her. 

“When I was… better, I filed charges against them, called off the wedding and took out a restraining order.” She laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. “Like that helped,” she whispered, more to herself than to Snape. 

“That same night, he came barging into my apartment, yelling about lies, that he’d show me what it really meant to be battered. I… remember hitting the wall, him breaking my arm,” she took a deep breath, but Snape could feel her shaking and felt rage build inside him towards this unknown man. “I… um… remember him pulling me by my hair, yelling… something,” she frowned and shook her head, telling him she didn’t know what he’d been yelling about. “And dragging me… somewhere, before I blacked out. 

“Apparently that’s when Long Feather came in. He said he’d been dragging me towards the French doors of my third story apartment, yelling about showing me what he could do if he wanted to. I woke up in the hospital the next day.” 

_Well, that explains her brother’s reactions where she’s concerned_ , he thought to himself before another thought occurred to him. “You didn’t tell Harry, did you?’ It wasn’t a question. He knew how Harry would react to such information. He protected his family and Miranda had been his family even then. 

Miranda shook her head. “He was in the middle of a war at the time and didn’t need the extra burden.” 

He looked up at her, wondering if she knew how Harry would have reacted if he’d known. “What happened to him? Your fiancé?” 

“They put him in jail for assault. He got three years but did six months before they let him out.” Snape’s eyebrows rose in surprise. _Only six months_? he thought in outrage. “I don’t know what he did after that. I’d moved back to the animal reserve by then. I heard he looked for me for about a year before giving up.” 

Snape understood her reaction to the word ‘married’ now, but frowned. “You know not all relationships turn out like that, right?” he asked, watching her face. He didn’t like the way she’d shut down when she’d told him about this. 

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “I don’t want to hurt anymore,” she whispered, before biting her lip, looking away. 

He pulled her onto his lap where she curled up against him and held her. “Would it help if I tell you I will never hit you? Yelling is a different matter, but _never_ would I hit you.” 

She gave a hiccupping laugh. “Yelling is okay. I like a good argument now and then.” 

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I hear arguments are good for any relationship,” he murmured softly. “Is that why you insist on not wearing dresses all the time?” 

“Some, but working on the animal reserve, wearing pants makes more sense and is more practical. Dresses are alright for the right occasion, but not for every day,” she murmured, looking up at him. Straightening up as a thought occurred to her, she shifted until she was straddling his lap, looking into his face with an intense look on her face. He watched her, wondering what she saw. “I don’t think you’d ever hit anyone, would you?” she asked, frowning as she mentally went over every letter Harry had ever written to her about this man. 

“I don’t believe hitting solves anything, especially when a few correct words said in the correct tone can wound just as deeply and leave a lasting impression. Why?” he asked, an eyebrow rising in question. What had brought this on? 

Her frown deepened and she tilted her head to the side. “Well, in all the letters Harry wrote, not once did he mention you striking your students, though I got the feeling that some of them could have used it. Detention and smart ass comments were all Harry ever mentioned. I always thought it was because the school didn’t allow it, but even now, you just used words and looks to make people feel like idiots.” 

Snape shrugged and smirked. “Like I said, words have better results. Blows can get your point across and heal, but words never go away if you say the right thing with the right tone.” 

Leaning forward, she surprised him by kissing him. It took him a moment to get over the surprise, but soon he was kissing her back, his body responding enthusiastically. Pulling back, she pushed down against his erection, making the air in his lungs whoosh out as desire slammed into him. “Make me forget,” she whispered, eyes pleading. 

He looked into her eyes, searching for anything that would tell him not to. “Are you sure?” 

She nodded once. 

In one fluid motion, he was standing up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he walked over to the bed, his lips capturing hers once more. He laid down with her, a hand running over her shoulder to her breast, making her gasp in pleasure. He knew that today, it wasn’t the binding spell making her want him, but her own need. He was more than willing to help, even though it meant the binding would be complete. 

With that thought, he pulled back to look at her. “You realize this will mean we’ll be truly married, right?” he murmured as he pushed his erection against her, watched as her eyes darkened in passion and gasped in response. 

She looked up at him and shook her head. “I don’t care. I understand what this means. Do it anyway,” she murmured, passion lacing her words. 

With a groan, he took her mouth in a punishing kiss as his tongue dueled with hers and felt her fingers tangle in his hair. 

Determined to take it slow with her, he pulled her shirt up enough to slide his hand under it, his fingers tingling as they touched bare skin. She moaned and arched up against the first touch, telling him silently that she wanted more. 

He met up with her bra and rubbed his thumb against the plain material. He wanted to laugh at that. He’d have thought it would be lacy, but nothing about this woman was what he thought. He would enjoy finding out how else she differed from other women. 

Pulling his mouth from hers with an effort, he kissed his way down to her ear, gently nibbling on it, loving the way her breath hitched. She pushed herself up against him enticingly, wanting more contact. 

Her hands moved over his back and she growled when she encountered his outer robes. He helped her push them off him so she could get at his shirt. “Too many fuckin’ clothes,” she growled as she began unbuttoning his shirt so she could get at his skin. 

He could’ve got rid of all their clothes, but he liked seeing her like this. She moaned as he began nibbling his way down her neck to where her pulse beat. Finishing with the buttons, she managed to push it open, sighing in pleasure as her hands ran over his sides and back. 

Pushing one of her legs between his, she slowly brought it up against his erection, making his gasp in pleasure. “Fuck,” he groaned as she moved her knee against him in the most delicious way, making his balls tighten up in pleasure. 

She laughed huskily and did it again. With a low growl, he waved his hand and wordlessly got rid of their remaining clothes. “To hell with this,” he growled as he captured her gasp of surprise with a deep kiss. _So much for keeping it slow_ , a voice in his head mocked. He chose to ignore it as he pushed her legs apart and pushed into her welcoming heat. 

Miranda gasped as he slid in, arching up to meet him. “Oh,” she murmured, eyes wide as he stretched her. He figured it had been a while since she’d had sex, judging by how tight she was around him, but he was too far gone to slow down. 

He slid out and pushed in hard, making her gasp again. He loved hearing the soft sounds she made, he realized as he did it again, just to hear it. Leaning down, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, making her moan as she clung to him, so he did it to the other one. 

It didn’t take either of them long to reach their release. Snape held back, waiting for her to reach hers first, making sure she was satisfied before he allowed himself to let go. She cried out, tensing against him as he held her close, sucking on her neck as she spasmed around him, drawing his release from him, making him groan in pleasure. Neither noticed or cared when their wrists glowed briefly before subsiding. 

They lay panting together, her hands still clutching at him. Her hold tightened on him when he rolled over onto his side, bringing her with him. “Rest,” he murmured against her temple and she relaxed against him. 

She squeezed him in answer and rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. He watched as her breathing evened out and she relaxed even more in his arms. He was amazed that she had accepted his role in her life. If he’d have known what the ritual would bring, would he want to change the outcome? 

Even in sleep, she frowned and he smiled as he thought of all the arguments they were going to get into, because there was no _way_ she was going to let him get away with ordering her around. 

He couldn’t wait! 

* * *

Rebecca giggled as she looked over at where her father and Harry sat, knowing there was something different between them, but wasn’t sure what it was. “What do you think?” she whispered as they hid among the shrubs and flowers. 

James was frowning as he watched beside her, Sirius right next to him, and shook his head. “I don’t know, but they seem to be more relaxed. I heard Dad saying he was glad that Grandfather and Grandmother weren’t getting us, so maybe that’s what it is.” 

They turned back as Draco started to laugh and looked on in surprise as Harry blushed. “Whatever it is,” Sirius murmured softly. “It’s got to be good. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Draco laugh so much.” 

Rebecca and James nodded in agreement. “Let’s go back to playing. Trying to figure adults out is too confusing,” James said with a dismissive shrug. 

* * *

Draco and Harry sat having tea as they watched their kids play once more in the back garden. Draco looked over at Harry when he sighed contentedly as he smiled at the kids’ antics. “When do you want to tell them that you’re living here permanently?” he asked before taking a sip of his tea, watching Harry closely. 

Harry shrugged and frowned in thought. “You know, maybe we should have a small gathering, just so people or the kids don’t get confused about our binding.” 

“It might just be what some of our friends need to get over the shock this is going to cause,” Draco suggested, thinking of the problems this might create. And here he’d thought this could simplify his life. “We can wait a few days to figure out what we want to do. Have you given any thoughts to what Severus said this morning?” he asked, watching Harry’s reaction carefully and tried not to laugh when he saw his husband go absolutely still before throwing him an almost panicked look. 

“Which part?” 

“Babies,” he murmured as he took a drink of his tea to hide the smile. 

“Um,” Harry stammered, eyebrows disappearing under the fringe of his bangs and it took all Draco had in him not to laugh at the look of panic in his eyes. You’d think he’d asked him to bear the child or something. 

Finally, he took pity on his partner. “Don’t worry, Harry. It’s not like men can get pregnant without help.” This time he _did_ laugh at the horrified look on Harry’s face. “How else do you think two men can have a legitimate heir?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in question. 

“I assumed they adopted,” Harry said, with a shrug, gesturing wildly, nearly knocking over his own cup. 

“No, Harry. Wizards and witches who are adopted, especially in pure-blood families, cannot become heirs. When the adoptive parents pass, they can give something to the adopted child, but it can’t be a title or family Manor unless it’s a blood-bond like you and Miranda. That’s why pure-blood families are careful about what they do. 

“The difference about last night and other people is life and death. For Miranda, it was to save her life. With adoption, you don’t need it to be blood-related. Severus was right about Rebecca taking her spouse’s surname, and even if she doesn’t take his surname, any child she has will be labeled with his surname, not hers.” 

Harry frowned as he absorbed what Draco was saying. He hadn’t realized how complicated family structure could be in the Wizarding world. “What does it mean in a situation like ours? Where we have kids already?” 

Draco shrugged indifferently. “Because they were born before the binding, they keep their surname, unless we, as parents, want to change that.” 

“So then what would it take to get a Malfoy male heir?” Harry asked, the look on his face telling Draco he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to that. 

“Easy. Severus will make me a few potions taken in a specific order and time which will allow me to get pregnant.” He laughed at the look of relief Harry gave him when he found out he didn’t have to bare the child, then Harry frowned. 

“If you get pregnant, how do you deliver? It’s not like you have a hole down there for the child to come out of,” he said, then blushed furiously as he realized what he’d just said. 

_Oh, this is sooo precious,_ Draco thought as he tried to breath, he was laughing so hard. It didn’t help when Harry grumbled, “Oh, ha, ha,” or the disgruntled look on his face as Draco continued to laugh. 

He managed to get control of himself… until he looked at Harry. He had to look away and not look at his husband in order to answer him. “That’s where the Mediwitch or wizard comes in,” he said, wiping his eyes. “Though that doesn’t mean I’m going to be easy to live with until then. I’m still going to go through the mood swings, just like women do when they’re pregnant. Do you think you can handle that?” he asked, chancing a look at Harry. 

Harry was thinking about what Draco had just told him, and Draco was surprised to see he was actually considering it. Draco knew he wouldn’t mind giving Rebecca a blood-sibling. He knew she was tired of being an only child, but he’d never been really interested in getting remarried just to have more kids… until now. “I think I can handle that. I know the kids would be thrilled to have more siblings to play with.” 

He sighed and looked back at the house and Draco knew he was thinking of Miranda. “Don’t worry about her. Severus knows there’s something not right. He’s just waiting for her to open up to him,” he murmured as he sat back in his chair. “Besides, this might be good for him, too. It gives him something to focus on besides meddling. I can’t wait to see how long it takes for them to butt heads together. Their first row should be entertaining.” 

Harry smiled knowingly. “Especially since her temper matches his.” 

Draco toasted him with his cup with a smile of his own. “Exactly.” 

* * *

When Miranda and Snape finally made an appearance later that afternoon, they were surprised to see her in white slacks and light blue shirt that had another shear blouse in a darker blue colour over it, sides hanging loosely around her hips. Harry would’ve thought Snape would’ve had a meltdown at the sight of the pants, but he seemed fine with it. She looked absolutely gorgeous… until he saw the bandage. 

“What happened to your hand?” he asked, frowning. 

She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. Severus already looked at it. It’s just a sprain.” His look told her he didn’t believe her explanation. “Just leave it, please?” 

Harry’s lips tightened but he didn’t say anything more. 

“Besides, Potter, it’s for me to worry about now, not you.” Harry’s and Draco’s eyebrows rose at the significance of the statement and they looked from one to the other’s hand. Sure enough, the tattoos were more pronounced. 

“Congratulations,” Draco murmured, nodding at them. “Would you like some tea?” 

“Yes, please,” Miranda murmured with a small smile as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She’d pulled it back into a braid behind her back so it wouldn’t be in her face. “And thank you.” 

“Have you two made a decision about our discussion this morning?” Snape asked before taking a sip of his tea, seeing Miranda turn to look at him in confusion. 

“Yes, actually we have. We’re going to need the potions, but we can wait a few days before we ask for it.” 

“What potions?” Miranda asked, taking a biscuit from the tray on the table. 

“And who is going to be the one to take them?” Snape asked, ignoring her question for now, though he could tell by the way she stiffened that it wasn’t going to take long before she demanded an answer. 

“I will,” Draco said calmly as he leaned back in his chair. “And we’re talking about babies,” he told Miranda, giving Snape a reproachful look. He knew what the old Headmaster was doing and it did no good to aggravate her so soon after their joining. 

She gave them a look that was confused. “Babies?” 

“Yes. In the Wizarding world, men can get pregnant with the help of certain potions. As I was explaining to Harry earlier, we have a Mediwitch or wizard keep track of the gestation regularly, just like women do when they’re pregnant. It’s really quite simple.” 

The look she gave him told him she thought he was insane, but she didn’t question it. She’d see soon enough. 

“Hey, guys!” 

They looked over to see Ron walking towards then, a book in his hand. Harry waved back at him and waited until the red-head was closer before talking to him. “Join us for tea?” he asked, gesturing towards the remaining seat. 

Ron shrugged and sat down. “Sure,” he said as he nodded to the others. “Miranda, you’re looking better today. What was wrong with you yesterday?” 

“I’m feeling better,” she murmured as she took a sip of her tea. “I wasn’t feeling right yesterday.” Since she didn’t elaborate on her condition, Ron couldn’t ask without sounding rude. Draco could tell it was killing him not being able to ask, though and he hid a smile and winked at Miranda. 

Draco watched Ron wrack his brain for something to add and decided to help him out, a twinkle in his eyes as he saw her eyebrow rise a little, letting him know she knew he’d caught on. “What’re you doing here, Ronald?” he asked, turning his attention to the book in Ron’s hand. 

“Oh, yeah. I was supposed to bring this yesterday, but forgot it in our rush to come over for supper,” Ron said as he handed the book to Draco. “It’s Ginny’s diary. The one I was telling you about.” 

Draco looked at him in surprise and took the book from him. He’d forgotten all about the thing. Even though they didn’t need it anymore, he was still curious as to what the chit had written about Harry in it. “Thanks.” 

“Ginny’s diary?” Miranda asked, frowning slightly. “She was actually stupid enough to put in writing what her plans were when she was a child?” 

“Yes, well, brains don’t seem to run too deeply in the Weasley family,” Snape drawled sarcastically, ignoring the glare Ron threw his way as his face started with a red flush of anger. 

“Severus,” she murmured warningly, though her eyes gleamed with mirth. “Behave.” 

Snape’s eyebrows rose at that. “Did I lie?” 

“Anyway,” Harry cut in before Ron could explode. “We’re going to have a celebration in a few nights. Will you and George come over?” 

“What are we celebrating?” Ron asked, frowning in confusion, making Miranda bite her lip and look over at Snape, his raised eyebrow told her everything. 

“New additions to the family, being able to keep my kids… and my marriage, for starters,” Harry said, holding his breath, waiting for the explosion. 

Ron’s eyebrows rose. “I get keeping your kids, but who’s the new addition to the family?” 

_So_ , Harry thought to himself. _They didn’t tell Ron about Miranda or the marriage._ “Miranda is now my sister,” he murmured, waiting for the next question. 

“Yeah, well I figured you took her as family by the way you guys interacted together,” he said, misunderstanding what Harry was telling him. They watched as Ron frowned as something seemed to sink in. “Married? Who did you marry? I didn’t even know you were looking for anyone new, what with your divorce being relatively new and all.” 

Harry cleared his throat, trying to think of a way to break the news to his friend in a way that wouldn’t get out of hand. “Well, it wasn’t really planned,” he began hesitantly. 

Draco rolled his eyes at all the pussyfooting. “He’s married to me, Weasley.” 

Ron looked at Draco, expression blank. Then he turned to look at Harry, hoping his friend would tell him it was all a joke. 

“It’s true,” Harry murmured, waiting for the explosion. It should be coming any second…

He wasn’t disappointed. “You married _him?!” Ron demanded, pointing at Draco. Miranda’s eyebrows rose at the tone in Ron’s voice._

“What’s wrong with that?” she asked, looking at Ron, clearly not understanding the problem. 

“What’s wrong with that? He’s the bloody ferret! That’s what’s wrong!” he exclaimed in anger. “How could you marry _Malfoy_ of all people?” 

Harry glared at Ron when he saw Draco stiffen at the old nickname and tried to defuse the situation. “Ronald Weasley!” he said angrily. “Learn to hold your tongue!” 

“No,” Ron yelled, face completely red as he glared at his best friend. “How could you marry _him_ after all he put us through at school?! I wanted to say something when you told me you two were friends, but you left before we could talk, and now you’re telling me you’re married and I’m supposed to just accept it again?” 

The men were surprised when something splashed in Ron’s face. They all turned to look at Miranda who was glaring at Ron, surprised that she’d done it and that it had worked to stop the tirade. 

“How dare you bring up the past like it was yesterday?” she growled at him. “If he’s happy with Draco, then you should be happy to be included in their lives, not belittling what they feel for each other. If you can’t be happy for Harry, then why are you here? I’m so goddamn tired of all the bickering over the past!” With that, she rose to her feet and stalked away. 

Snape was impressed. She’d managed to stop Ron in his tracks and do it in a way that made him feel like he was three inches tall. 

Ron sat back in surprise, looking like he was just realizing what he’d done. “I’m sorry for the outburst,” he murmured. “I… I’m glad for you, Harry.” 

Harry blinked at the change in his friend. In all the years he’d known Ron, he’d never heard him apologize so quickly, but then no one had interfered like Miranda had either. “Thanks.” He smiled hesitantly, unsure what to do next. “Miranda and Snape are also married,” he said, hoping to change the mood now surrounding them. 

Ron looked over at Snape who was watching him with a smirk. “Congratulations,” he murmured, and Harry worried that he might have had too many shocks today. 

“Well, things aren’t going to be boring with her around,” Draco murmured as he took a sip of his tea. 

“I think it might be a good idea if I take Miranda to Snape Manor for a while. It’ll give her a bit more time to get used to the changes if there aren’t so many distractions,” Snape murmured as he put his cup down. 

“Take Jarett with you. He’s Miranda’s wedding gift from Harry and I,” Draco said and shrugged when Snape gave him a questioning look. “Besides, he seems to have taken a liking to her. Also, she can have all my old clothes that are in her closet. They look good on her, that and I thought the house-elves had already gotten rid of them.” 

Harry smiled, knowing what this meant, even if Miranda didn’t yet. He knew Snape would explain it to her. “Let us know when we can visit.” 

Snape nodded slightly. “Let me know when you need those potions and I’ll have them ready.” 

The men nodded and watched as Snape went after his wife. 

“I’d better be going, too,” Ron murmured as he rose from the table, wanting to make his escape as gracefully as possible. “Dad said he was going to send you a letter or firecall as soon as they figure what’s wrong with Mum,” he told Harry before he walked away. 

Harry sighed and shook his head. “When do you want to do the party?” 

Draco smiled, thought his thoughts were centered on Molly Weasley. It was weird how she’d gone from being a reasonable person towards Harry to downright spiteful. “We can send out invitations tomorrow and have the party a week from today. This’ll give them time to wrap their mind around the fact that we’re getting along and also give the ladies time to buy a new dress for the occasion.” 

“Let’s take the kids over to Grimmauld Place and start packing things up after supper,” Harry suggested as he frowned in thought. “I imagine they want more clothes than what they have here, even if they’re keeping the house-elves busy.” 

“Why wait until then? We can go now and bring a few house-elves with us. We can spend the night there. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for all of us,” Draco murmured as he watched Harry. This was going to be a sight he was never going to tire of, he realized with a contented sigh. 

“James! Sirius! Rebecca!” Harry called, gesturing for them to come over. 

They came running, laughing as they made it into a race. “What’s up, Dad?” James asked as he panted. 

“We’re going over to Grimmauld Place to pack. Maybe camp out for a night or two. Would you like that?” he told them, watching them carefully. 

All three looked at each other, wondering what was going on. Then James shrugged. “Sure. There are a few things I’d like to show Rebecca anyway.”


	27. Daily Prophet

Chapter 27 – Daily Prophet 

Snape found her in the ballroom again, listening to her music while she looked out the window. “I hope this isn’t going to be a repeat of earlier,” he drawled, an eyebrow raised. 

She jumped in surprise and he smirked in amusement. “No, it’s not a repeat of earlier,” she said sarcastically before she sighed tiredly. “I suppose I should apologize to Ronald for throwing my tea in his face.” 

Snape shook his head as he came to stand beside her. “Actually, I don’t think anyone’s ever stopped him in his tracks like you did,” he murmured softly, as he pulled her against him. “The thing you have to realize with Mr. Weasley is that he likes to rant and rave when something disrupts the way he believes the world should go. It was rather amusing to see the wind get cut out of his sails like that.” 

Miranda laid her head on his chest and sighed slightly, clearly not amused. 

“Today we’ll be going to Spinner’s End. I think with fewer distractions, it should be easier to get you used to the Wizarding world. Then, in a couple of days, I’ll take you to Diagon Alley and get your money changed over to our currency if you still feel like it.” 

She looked up at him with a frown on her face. “What about all that’s going on here?” 

He looked down at her, wondering what was going through her head. “Are you still feeling like something’s wrong here?” 

“I don’t know. I can usually pick it up better when I’m outside. I hate being cooped up inside like this. It’s been – what? Three weeks? – since I was given those potions? That’s the longest I’ve been out of touch with nature. Today doesn’t really count because I wasn’t outside that long.” She shook her head like she was trying to clear it. “Grandfather said it was my limitation when it came to reading the signs, but I’ve never been able to get over it.” 

“And I don’t think you’ll have better luck at Spinner’s End. I don’t have much of a back yard. Come, let’s go pack and you can see for yourself.” He shut off her radio before pulling away from her. 

She sighed in resignation as she picked up the radio and CDs and put them back in the bag they’d come in. Putting his arm around her waist, he Apparated them to her room. “Oh, and Draco said that since you looked good in his old clothes, you can have them, so Jarett added them to your wardrobe.” 

He laughed as he left her there with her eyebrows raised as high as they could go. 

* * *

Miranda looked at the dark walls and gloomy feel to the entryway, not sure if she should move. Compared to her house or even the Manor, this place was just too damn depressing. “You live here?” she asked, and even she could hear the trepidation in her voice. 

Snape looked around, obviously not seeing what she was seeing. “I’ll admit that the house is a little dark, but it’s not that bad.” 

She looked at him, eyebrows raised incredulously. “I almost feel like I’m in a horror movie. Is it always so dark here?” 

She saw the frown on his face before he led the way further into the gloomy house. She’d hoped it would only be the entryway, but unfortunately, it seemed it was the whole house that was that way. There didn’t seem to be any windows, lending to the dark feeling. It made her feel claustrophobic. She missed the openness of the gardens at Malfoy Manor even more. 

He led her upstairs and showed her where their room was. She was surprised to see Jarett come padding out of the closet with a smile on his face. “Aren’t you supposed to stay at Malfoy Manor?” she asked in surprise. 

“Actually, Draco gave him to you,” Snape told her before the house-elf could reply. She shot him a look of surprise. “As a wedding gift.” She looked down at Jarett to see him nodding happily. 

She shook her head, trying to wrap her head around the idea, but didn’t comment. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to the idea of owning anything, let alone a house-elf. “You said you had a yard?” she asked instead of questioning him. 

With a quick nod, he led her downstairs and towards the back, passing the kitchen on the way. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the pitiful state of the small yard. She wondered how he could call this a yard. Maybe if she cleaned it up and added a few trees and bushes, maybe some flowers, it might look better. 

“If you want to make something out of it, I have no qualms with that, the house-elves can get you anything you need,” he told her and she realized he’d been watching her reaction. 

“I’m going to need help with this,” she admitted, wondering where to start. 

“The house-elves usually take care of this, but I haven’t told them to take care of it in years,” he said with a shrug. 

She sighed and rubbed her forehead tiredly. “Well, first things first. The grass needs to be cut down so we can actually see what else is there.” 

“Syro! Cade!” he called out. The two house-elves appeared in front of them. 

“Master?” they said, bowing respectfully, trying to hide their curiosity towards Miranda. 

“I want the yard cleaned up. Do it,” he ordered before turning and leading Miranda back inside. “They’ll be done in a few hours. Let’s have tea in the Drawing room,” he murmured and she followed behind him, frowning towards the backyard, wondering if he wasn’t asking a bit much of his house-elves. 

When they entered the room, she was surprised to see a tea tray waiting for them, along with some sandwiches. “I see Jarett is keeping tabs on your eating habits,” Snape drawled in amusement as he prepared himself a cup. 

“With the amount of stuff I had, I’m surprised he’s done putting it away. If I’d known Draco was going to give me his old clothes, I wouldn’t have bothered to buy so many things,” she murmured as she snagged a sandwich to munch on before fixing herself a cup of tea. 

Snape laughed in surprise. “Yes, I’m sure.” 

For a while, they talked about each other. Miranda was surprised at how much she’d told him about herself. Of course, it was a give and take thing. She’d tell him something about herself and he’d tell her something about himself. 

She didn’t think she’d ever known as much about any man other than Harry before. 

A couple of hours after supper, she went out in the backyard, surprised at the changes made. The lawn was cut short and there were trees against the far wall. Alright, the trees looked more like shrubs, but at least it gave the yard some definition. It also looked like there was a greenhouse in the far back, against the wall. 

Now, all she needed was some flowers… and maybe a small pond. Sighing slightly, she walked further into the yard and sat down on the grass and closed her eyes, wanting to see if she could reconnect with nature. 

* * *

Grimmauld was just as dark as Harry remembered. He’d grown used to how much light came into Malfoy Manor and missed it already. They arrived in the living room which was much more inviting than the kitchen, and certainly less messy. 

He remembered the day Ginny had made him change the Floo connections from the kitchen to the living room and was kind of glad he had. There was more room to move here, although the furniture was still old and ratty. He’d always intended to get rid of it but was now glad he hadn’t. 

It looked like Kreacher was still keeping the dust away, which was surprising. The old house-elf had been lapsing in the last few years and some days you couldn’t tell what he was up to. And funny enough, Ginny hadn’t wanted to get rid of him, but thinking back on it, it made sense if she was working for Voldemort… or maybe it was the small army of house-elves Draco had sent over before they left the Manor. Well, okay, so he’d exaggerated a little. He’d only sent a handful of them, but with the way they worked, they could very well be an army by themselves. 

“Welcome to my home,” Harry murmured, looking around at the only real home he’d known beside the Burrow. 

Draco and Rebecca looked around like they weren’t sure if it wasn’t going to fall apart around them. Harry laughed and gestured for the kids to go ahead of them. “Start packing your things,” he told the boys as he adjusted Lily on his hip. “Rebecca, if you want, you can keep them company.” 

Rebecca smile hesitantly. James grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the stairs. “Come on. I’ll show you my room.” 

“And mine!” Sirius called as he ran after them. 

Harry laughed at their antics. “Come on. I’ll fix us some tea before I tackle the library. You might already have the books here, but I don’t really want to leave them behind,” he told Draco with a shrug as he led the way to the kitchen. 

When they entered the room, tea was already waiting for them and a house-elf was busy with supper. 

“What should I do with Kreacher?” 

“Who’s Kreacher?” Draco asked in confusion as he sat down at the table while Harry put Lily in the playpen that was in the kitchen. Obviously this was the room they spent most of their time in, Draco realized. 

“The Black’s family house-elf. He’s senile, talks to himself and-“

Screaming from upstairs had them running for the stairs. Draco was the first to reach the top. They were confronted by running kids. 

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked as Rebecca clutched at his leg and the boys hid beside her. 

“Over there,” James stammered, pointing towards the room at the end of the hall. 

* * *

Harry managed to get by Draco, since the kids wouldn’t let him go, and walked down the hall, wand at the ready. Who could’ve got inside the house uninvited? After the war, he’d redone the wards so that only a few trusted people could get in. 

The smell alerted him to something wrong. He wrinkled his nose but kept going. He needed to make sure they were safe before they stayed the night. 

Pushing the door open, he frowned when it seemed to hit something soft. “ _Lumos_ ,” he murmured and peered into the room to see what had scared the kids so badly. Looking around quickly, just to be sure no one was ready to attack him, he chanced a look behind the door and sighed sadly. 

_I guess I don’t have to find a use for him after all_ , he thought as he saw the lifeless body of the cantankerous house-elf. Judging by the smell, it seemed like Kreacher had been dead for at least a couple of days. 

With a sigh, he went over to the door, looking over at where the rest of his family waited to hear what was in the room. “James, take Rebecca and Sirius to your room, please. I’ll come talk to you in a few minutes.” When James hesitated, Harry nodded it was okay. Taking hold of the other two’s hands, he dragged them down the other side of the house and closed his door. 

Draco frowned and walked over to Harry. “What’s wrong? What did they find?” 

“Kreacher. Looks like he died a while ago,” Harry said with a sigh. “What do we do with him?” 

Draco looked closer at the poor creature on the floor. “It also looks like he was tortured,” he told Harry, pointing at some odd partially healed wounds. “Probably by Ginny when he couldn’t tell her where the kids were.” 

Harry frowned as he looked at the body on the floor. “That would mean that he’s been tortured for a few months.” Would Ginny really resort to that drastic a measure to get the kids? He was also surprised that Kreacher hadn’t been able to find the kids when house-elves were so good at finding people when they wanted to. But even Kreacher hadn’t deserved this kind of treatment. Maybe the cranky creature had become loyal to Harry over the years. “Let’s bury him in the backyard. It’s the least we can do for him,” Harry murmured with a sigh and levitated the body in the air, and Draco conjured a blanket to wrap the body in. 

“In case the kids are looking out their window,” he explained at Harry’s questioning look. Harry nodded, after all, kids were curious, and took the body downstairs. 

* * *

The kids were sitting on the floor with James’ collection of rocks when Harry walked into the room a half hour later. They turned to look at him as he sighed and sat down on the James’ bed. “Come here,” he murmured gently. Sirius rose to his feet first and went over to his father, climbing onto his lap so he could cuddle. “I know you guys have had quite a shock, but I think it’s important that you know what happened.” 

“It was Kreacher, wasn’t it, Dad?” James asked as he leaned against the bed beside Harry. 

“Yeah, it was. I’m afraid I forgot to come check up on how Kreacher was and I think he was older than even I imagined. I don’t want you guys to be afraid of this,” he told them as he looked carefully at all three children. James had the feeling that his father was leaving something out, but he didn’t really want to know what it was. He hadn’t like Kreacher that much to begin with. “Everyone’s time comes and Kreacher’s time was now.” 

“Is that why you buried him in the old garden?” Sirius asked, and only now did James realize that he’d never seen his brother so serious or sad before. 

“Yes,” Harry said, smiling at him and kissed the top of Sirius’ head. “Even he needed to be buried with decency, despite the fact that he was always grumpy.” 

“Was he your only house-elf?” Rebecca asked curiously as she watched them and James knew she kind of felt left out. He took her hand, pulled her close to him and draped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. 

Harry smiled at the show of affection. “Yes, but that’s okay. I never used to have house-elves before Kreacher so I’m used to doing everything myself.” 

“Yeah, Kreacher was so unreliable that Dad used to do all the cleaning, dishes _and_ cooking. He’s really good at it, too. I actually miss his cooking sometimes,” James said with a mischievous smile which turned to laughter when Harry reached over and tickled him. 

“Have you two started packing anything?” Harry asked, changing the subject. 

“Some. I just have my clothes and my bookshelves to pack. Sirius and Rebecca were helping me and we’re going to help Sirius tomorrow to pack up his room. Are we moving into Malfoy Manor for good?” James asked and felt Rebecca hold her breath. 

“Yes, but that’s something Draco and I have to talk to you about together after supper. So I want you to keep packing what you want to bring. After supper we can play games before bedtime. Alright?” 

“Alright,” Sirius and James grumbled. They’d been hoping to play now, but if they hurried maybe they’d be able to talk him into playing a game outside. Sirius slid off Harry’s lap and they went back to the shelves to pack James’ stuff in the truck Harry had bought each of them. It was spelled to fit loads of things.

“I’ll call when supper’s ready,” Harry said as he rose to his feet and left the room. He needed to pack up his own room and the library. So much to do and so little time to do it in. 

* * *

Harry walked into the library after finishing half his room and was surprised to see some bare shelves and a couple of piles of books on the floor. Draco was sitting at the desk, reading some papers. 

“I figured you’d be busy with the kids and packing up your room, so I went ahead and had the house-elves begin moving the books over to the Manor for you.” 

“What’re you reading?” he asked as he moved closer to Draco. 

Draco handed a sheet over to him to read. Harry felt his eyebrows rise into his hairline. “Are these-“

“Maps of a manor? Yeah. I was just trying to figure out which one. At first I thought it was Malfoy Manor, but the layout is different.” 

“Any clues as to which manor this is?” Harry asked as he looked at the map in his hands. It wasn’t any he recognized. 

“None,” Draco said, throwing his page down on the desk with a frustrated sigh and rubbing his eyes. He looked up as a house-elf came in. “Put these on the desk in my study,” he said, handing them to the creature. “We can look at it some more when we get home.” 

Standing up, Draco did what he’d wanted to do all day. Leaning back against the edge of the desk, he pulled Harry closer and kissed him and, as every day since the ceremony, Harry kissed him back just as passionately. 

Reluctantly pulling back, he rested his forehead against Harry’s, his body ready for more. “How about a shower before supper?” he asked, the meaning clear in his eyes as was the hardness pressing against Harry’s leg. Draco was glad to feel that Harry wasn’t unaffected either. 

Harry’s eyebrow rose in amusement. “Well, now. I wouldn’t want you to take advantage of me,” he murmured, smiling mischievously when Draco laughed. 

“I think we’ve passed that point already.” 

Harry grinned at that. “True.” He pulled away from Draco and took his hand. “If we hurry, maybe the kids won’t miss us.” 

* * *

Snape found Miranda outside an hour later, knees drawn up to her chest as she looked up at the sky. “Feeling better?” he asked, loath to interrupt her. 

She looked over at him and shrugged. “I thought it would work, but the garden seems…” she shook her head, looking for the right word. “Dormant?” she said at last, but shrugged again. 

“Perhaps after you make some changes to the yard, it’ll get to what you’re looking for,” he murmured as he walked closer, holding out a hand to help her up. “Time to get some rest.” 

She smile slightly as she took his hand and he led her inside and up the stairs. He watched her without her realizing it as she looked around the room again, probably taking in what she’d missed earlier, before heading into the bathroom. He took off his outer robes and draped them over the nearest chair before pulling his boots off. 

Hearing the shower start, he wondered if she’d mind having company. He continued getting undressed before going into the bathroom wearing only his pants. “Want some company?” he asked, leaning back against the doorjamb. 

He was surprised and pleased when she smiled at him over her shoulder and nodded. Unbuttoning his pants, he let them fall to the floor and stepped into the shower, the door closing on its own, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer, glad when her head fell back against his shoulder. 

The breath hiss out of her as he pressed his hard length against her and she reached back to tangle her fingers in his hair. He groaned as he held her close, letting his other hand come up to cup her breast, gently playing with the nipple while he sucked on her neck. 

She moaned as pleasure slammed into her and he couldn’t tell which she liked more, but at the moment he didn’t really care. She rubbed against him, and he moaned in pleasure before turning her to face him. Turning until he was facing the wall beside them, he pushed her up against it, lifting her off her feet. She hooked them behind his back, feeling the head of his erection rub against her, making her eyes darken in pleasure as she held onto his shoulders, gasping for breath. 

Leaning forward, he claimed her lips in a heated kiss as he pushed into her. She moaned against his lips as she kissed him passionately, nails digging into his shoulders. He’d meant to take it slow, but her response made all thought fly out the window as she matched him kiss for kiss, thrust for thrust, until he thought he would die from the pleasure. 

It wasn’t long before he felt her tense against him, moaning her release, and the feel of her clenching around him sent him over the edge. He held her tightly for a few seconds longer, his head resting against her shoulder as he tried to regain his breath. 

When he was sure he could move without sliding into a boneless puddle on the floor, he pulled out of her and allowed her legs to drop, making sure she could stand before he let her go. Without a word, they helped each other wash before heading to bed. 

* * *

After supper, Draco sat outside watching Harry chase after the three older kids with Lily. If one of them had the bad luck of falling, Harry would bounce Lily on them a couple of times and then take off after the others. 

He couldn’t tell who was having more fun! 

Lily, who was screaming and laughing at the top of her lungs, hands reaching for whoever they were chasing at the time; Rebecca, James and Sirius, who were laughing so hard they kept falling down – though Draco suspected they were doing it on purpose once they figured out what the game was; or Harry, who was using Lily like a flying doll and made strange sound effects as he chased one child down after another. 

He found it all amusing. He’d never seen this side of Harry before and hoped he’d see it more often. 

After a while, Harry collapsed on the ground, laughing and squeaked as the three oldest jumped on top of him, careful of Lily who was sitting on his stomach. It was a good thing he didn’t have glasses anymore or he’d have had them knocked off his face for sure by the way the kids were trying to pin him to the ground. 

Draco laughed as Harry sat up with a loud growl and grabbed the nearest child which was, surprisingly enough, not Lily, whom James had grabbed when Harry began to move, telling Draco Harry did this with them often. Rebecca shrieked as Harry caught her and pulled her against him, tickling her for a few seconds before letting her go. 

“Alright,” Harry said, panting and getting to his feet. “I’m done.” 

The kids protested but Harry went and sat with Draco as he tried to catch his breath. 

“You looked like you were having fun,” Draco murmured as he handed Harry a cup of tea. 

“Thanks. You should try it,” Harry told him as he dropped into an empty chair with a contented sigh. 

“That’s okay. It’s much more entertaining watching you do it. Did you play with the boys like that a lot?” 

Harry smiled at him and nodded. “Ever since Sirius was born. James loved the game, so when Lily was old enough to enjoy the game too, I did it with all of them. It gave me some time with the kids. Ginny laughed at first, but towards the end, all she would do was sniff disapprovingly and walk away,” he said with a shrug. “I like playing with them. It keeps me in shape and gives them some attention without them getting into trouble.” 

“Makes sense,” Draco said after thinking about it for a few minutes as they watched the kids start to wind down. Probably getting tired. They should sleep well tonight. Which brought to mind… “When do you want to tell them we’re all a family?” 

“Now, if you want,” Harry said with a shrug before shooting him a sly look. “When do you want to tell them we’ll be expanding our family?” 

Draco nearly choked on his tea. “How about we wait until it’s a sure thing?” 

Harry laughed and called the kids over from where they were trying to get Lily to walk. 

“What’s up, Dad?” James asked as he led Lily over to them, letting her walk over to Harry, who picked her up and tossed her into the air. She shrieked in delight and laughed as he laid a few kisses on her cheek before sitting her down on his lap. 

“Draco and I have something to tell you,” he began and looked over to Draco, wondering how he wanted to approach this. 

“It seems that we’re going to be staying together permanently,” Draco said as he rolled his eyes at Harry’s evasiveness. 

The kids looked from one parent to the other, eyes bugging out, not quite sure if this was a joke. “For real?” James asked, practically holding his breath, hoping it wasn’t a joke. 

“We’re a family now? All of us?” Sirius asked, looking like he wanted to jump for joy but wasn’t sure if it would be appropriate just yet. 

“I’m not an only child anymore?” Rebecca asked hopefully. 

Harry laughed. “Yes to all questions. Some way, somehow, when we saved Miranda, we were also married. Miranda is now your aunt.” 

They were surprised by the noise level as the kids laughed and screamed, hugging each other. “I told you,” James whispered in Rebecca’s ear as they hugged each other, “you wouldn’t be alone.” 

“Alright,” Harry said, getting instant silence from the kids, earning a look of respect from Draco at the ease the kids calmed down. “Time for bed. You can find a room for Rebecca to use while we’re here.” 

The adults were surprised when the kids didn’t protest but took off into the house at a run. “Well, that was the easiest time I’ve ever had to put those boys to bed,” Harry murmured in surprise and trailed them inside, followed by a chuckling Draco. 

“Maybe you tired them out?” 

“I doubt that very much.” Walking upstairs, Harry stopped at Lily’s bedroom just as she yawned hugely and laid her down in her crib without a protest. “Good night, Lily. I’ll see you in the morning,” he murmured softly, running his hand over her red hair before leaving the room. 

“One down, three to go,” he murmured as he watched Draco head down the hall towards Sirius’ room. 

“Better make that two down,” Draco whispered back as he peeked inside the little boy’s room. He could see the lump he made under the covers and the slight snore coming from that direction. 

_Well, that was fast_ , Harry thought in surprise. “I guess I _did_ tire them out.” 

Draco rolled his eyes at Harry. “It’s not like you haven’t been at it for almost an hour and a half,” he drawled sarcastically as he headed down the stairs. It was a safe bet that if two were down, the other two weren’t far behind. 

Harry laughed as he followed. “Let’s go sit in the living room.” 

They were just settling down with a glass of Firewhisky when the fireplace flared and a head appeared inside the ashes. “Harry? Are you there?” 

“Arthur?” Harry asked in surprise as he rose and moved closer to the fireplace. “What’s wrong?” 

“I-” He could see a look of discomfort on the older man. “I wanted to let you know what the healers at St. Mungo’s found when they examined Molly.” 

“Did you want to come over?” he asked, frowning in confusion. How bad could it be? 

“You don’t mind?” Arthur asked in surprise, taking in the sight of Draco reclining on the couch. 

“Not at all, Mr. Weasley, besides, you’re still part of Harry’s family and nothing will change that,” Draco murmured, though he really wanted to tell the man to take a hike. He’d wanted to get Harry to relax before going to bed, but that seemed like a futile thought now. 

Arthur came through the fire and stood, unsure what to do. 

“Please, sit down, Arthur. Would you like to have some tea or Firewhisky?” 

“Tea, please,” the older man murmured with a grateful smile as he sat in the chair. “I won’t stay long, but I figured, after everything we put you through, you’d like to know why Molly reacted the way she did since the supper we had.” 

A pot of tea appeared on the coffee table between them and Arthur paused to fix himself a cup of tea. 

“So there was something wrong with Molly?” Harry asked, frowning. 

“Yes. They found traces of magical tampering in Molly’s mind. They’re not quite sure what spells were used and without that knowledge, they can’t seem to do much to help her. We had to leave her there so they could run some tests,” Arthur said as he stared at his cup, fiddling with the handle. 

Harry and Draco exchanged knowing looks but didn’t say anything. They both knew Ginny was the reason Molly was in the shape she was in and Harry wondered if she’d ever be better. The kids needed their grandmother, especially since she was their only grandmother. 

“Well,” Arthur said with a heavy sigh. “I’ll let you know if there’s any progress. Where will you be?” he asked, smiling, though they could tell he didn’t really feel like smiling. 

“We’ll be at Malfoy Manor. We’re just here to close up the house. Especially since the kids needed their clothes and anything else they wanted from their rooms,” Harry said as he rose and walked with Arthur the few feet to the fireplace. 

“Thanks, Harry,” Arthur murmured and held out a hand to his son-in-law. 

Harry shook it and nodded. “We’ll talk soon, Arthur.” 

Arthur clapped him on the arm and threw some Floo powder into the fire and stepped through. “The Burrow,” he said clearly and was engulfed in green flames before he was gone. 

“Well, that was very unsurprising. It took them taking her to St. Mungo’s to realize there was something wrong with the way she was treating someone they’d practically adopted into their family,” Draco drawled sarcastically, snorting before taking a drink from his Firewhisky. “What a joke.” 

“Be nice, Draco,” Harry murmured tiredly as he sat down beside him, putting his head in his hands. “It’s normal for Arthur to not realize that something was off, though I’m surprised it took this long for them to realize something _was_.” 

“You’re too soft,” Draco murmured, rubbing Harry’s back in comfort. “Let’s go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow with finishing up the packing. The day after that will see the kids settled in their new rooms.” 

Harry looked at him with an amused look. “Their new rooms? What happened to the ones they were staying in before?” 

Draco shrugged. “The house-elves decided that since they knew the boys’ personalities now, they could take the chance to redecorate their rooms. This should be interesting.” 

Harry laughed and leaned into him. “I can’t wait to see what they’ve got planned,” he murmured as he leaned closer and did what he’d been wanting to do all evening. He kissed Draco, feeling a slight thrill of pleasure. 

“Ewww!” they heard behind them. 

Looking at the doorway, Harry laughed as he saw Rebecca and James standing at the door. “What are you two still doing up?” he asked as Draco craned his neck to look at the two kids. 

“We want to know if Rebecca can sleep in my room. She finds the house creepy and can’t sleep.” 

Harry looked at Draco who shrugged indifferently. “Sure, but make sure you actually go to sleep. No playing around,” Harry told them. 

“Yes, sir,” they said in unison and ran back upstairs. 

“Now,” Harry murmured, looking down at Draco. “Where were we?” 

“How about we take this upstairs?” Draco murmured waggling his eyebrows up and down, smiling suggestively. 

Harry pretended to think it over and laughed as Draco reached out and tickled his side. “Alright. At least we can close the door against annoying kids.” 

“I hear that,” Draco muttered as he followed Harry up the stairs and down the hall towards the room they would be sharing. 

* * *

Harry hadn’t realized just how much stuff he’d collected over the years. He’d even packed up Ginny’s stuff, but he didn’t know what to do with it, so he figured it could go to the Burrows and they could figure out what to do with it. After two days of packing, Draco had announced that the house-elves could finish packing up the rest of the house, that he wasn’t spending another day and that they would leave after breakfast. 

They were currently was sitting at the kitchen table having their last breakfast in the Black family home. Harry was listening to Draco talk with Sirius and laughing at what he came up with. It was amazing how kids said almost anything that came to mind. 

At the same time, James was showing Rebecca how to play a card game called ‘Snap’ and she was beating the pants off him. 

“I don’t know, Draco. I think maybe we have a strategist among the family,” Harry murmured as Rebecca’s hand came down on the pile of cards and yelled ‘snap!’, making James jump at the suddenness. 

“I know,” Draco said before returning to his conversation with the little boy. 

An owl flew into the kitchen from the open window and landed on the back of Sirius’ chair, waiting patiently as Harry got up and got some money for the Daily Prophet it carried. He also gave it a few owl pellets for its trouble. 

As it flew out the window, Draco opened it up and swore as he read the headlines. Looking over his shoulder, Harry groaned as he read the caption. “Great. Like we didn’t have enough problems. I guess I’ll have to fire an idiot later today,” Draco muttered, frowning as he skimmed over the article. 

_Harry Potter and His New Woman!_

Beneath it was the picture of the four of them as they’d exited the elevator after court. And of course, the article went downhill from there. Why did they have to make shit up? Harry wondered as he went over the article, losing interest after the first five lines. Why couldn’t his private life remain private? 

Then he noticed the article beneath it. 

_Massive Breakout From Azkaban!_

_An investigation has been launched to ascertain who aided in the escape of several high-profile escaped convicts from Azkaban last night. So far, there is no evidence of collaboration within the current guards, but no one is being discounted. Amongst the group of escapees are Ginny Potter, Blaise Zabini, and the newly caught Hermione Granger who had been thought killed in the war. Stay with us for more details of this story as they become available._

* * *

“I thought it had been too easy,” Draco muttered as he frowned. “We’re not safe here. Let’s go back to the Manor. I have to check on the wards.” 

“I have to fix the ones here before we leave,” Harry said, walking out of the kitchen as Draco rose to his feet and picked up Lily from her high chair. 

“Put the cards away and get ready to go,” he told the older three. 

James nodded, pulled the cards into a pile and put them in his pocket. “We can play again later,” he told Rebecca. 

Draco was alerted to the danger with some noise from the living room. “Tripp, take the children and hide them at the Manor,” he said as he handed Lily to the house-elf and carefully went looking for Harry, wand drawn, confident the kids would be hidden well.


	28. Captured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-Con scene in this chapter!!

Chapter 28 – Captured 

Snape lay there the next morning, watching Miranda sleep. She was lying on her stomach, hand hanging over the edge, completely exhausted. He smiled as he remembered why she was in such a state. 

He hadn’t thought she’d respond to him as much as she did, but every time he’d reached for her during the night, she’d woken up and hadn’t complained, giving him as much pleasure as he’d give her. He sighed contentedly. 

Careful not to make too much noise, he got up and padded barefoot into the bathroom, pulling a dressing robe on as he went. “Jarett,” he called out softly. 

The house-elf popped in, bowing respectfully. “Master?” 

“Bring us something to eat and pick out something appropriate for Miranda to wear for an outing to Diagon Alley. I want her to blend in.” The house-elf bowed and popped out, leaving him alone to take a shower and get ready for the day. 

When he came out, he was surprised to see her still sleeping, though she seemed to be stirring at the delicious smell coming off the food sitting on the table in front of the couch. Leaning over her, he heard her groan when he laid a kiss between her shoulder blades. 

“Time to get up,” he murmured softly in her ear as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. He laughed as she pried an eye open enough to give him a look of disgust before it closed again. “Come on. A shower will help wake you up enough to have breakfast. Then we can go to Diagon Alley.” 

She groaned again, this time as her body protested the movement as she sat up. He figured she was probably a little sore from the… excess activity they’d had last night. It might have been a while since she’d had sex, but she obviously hadn’t forgotten how to move. 

Finally, she was up and moving towards the bathroom, dragging the dressing gown on that he held out for her. Soon he heard the shower start and went to sit on the couch to make himself a cup of tea. He would wait for her to finish and join him before starting on breakfast. 

* * *

An hour or so later, Miranda walked beside Snape as he led her through Diagon Alley, stopping at certain stores as they walked. They’d made a trip to what he called Muggle London so she could withdraw her money, which he’d then put inside a pouch he had. She’d been surprised. She’d had a lot of money in the bank, but to look at the pouch, one would think it was empty. 

Their first stop was a shop that smelled funny. Snape called it an Apothecary… whatever that meant. He’d bought some things, before moving on. They passed a shop with weird leather-like clothes which he’d refused to explain. She’d shrugged, not really caring. She noticed a couple of women whispering and pointing in her direction, but when she looked at them with her eyebrows raised, they simply sniffed contemptuously and kept walking. Shaking her head in confusion, she dismissed it as one of those things that was inexplicable. Everything here was new to her. Yes, they’d gone to Madam Malkin’s for some clothes, but they hadn’t really looked around. 

Across the street she saw the shop with pots of all sizes sitting in front of it. “What do you cook in those?” she asked and blinked in surprise at the dark look he shot her. 

“Those are cauldrons. They are _not_ for cooking, they’re for potion making.” 

“Sorry,” she grumbled sarcastically, frowning at him. Can you say _touchy_?

Their next stop was a Stationery shop. At least she recognized this, though it was kind of hard to misinterpret what was sold here when you could see ink, paper – parchment – and feathers – Quills. It seemed Snape was getting annoyed with her because she called things by what they looked like and not what they really were. _Well, how am I supposed to know the difference_ , she thought irritably. 

They passed another group of people who were shooting her glares and talking to each other. No one pointed, but she got the distinct impression they were talking about her. Who were they and how would they know who she was? Snape didn’t seem to notice, so she ignored them. 

“Oh, look at the cute pets!” she said, her eyes lighting up as she caught sight of the owls. She opened her mouth to ask if she could get one, but the words died on her lips as he glared at her. 

“They are _not_ pets, they are familiars.” 

After that, she decided it might just be easier on her if she didn’t say anything. She was getting tired of getting her head bitten off. 

“Come. I’ll take you to Gringotts now,” he told her. 

She glared at his back, also tired of being led around like a child. “Woof woof,” she muttered under her breath as she followed behind him. 

Leading the way, Snape walked up the steps to a weird looking building. She had the impression that it would fall at any moment. He didn’t even hesitate as he opened the door and looked back at her, waiting. 

Taking another doubtful look at the building, she took a deep breath and preceded him inside… where she stopped in her tracks as she took in the creatures inside. “What are they?” she whispered, grabbing hold of his arm in alarm. 

“Goblins,” he told her as he led the way to the counters. “They run the bank.” She looked at them, wondering if she was dreaming or if this was really happening. “Mrs. Monroe-Snape would like to open a Vault,” he told the Goblin and she looked at him in surprise. 

It took her a few seconds to realize that it was her name now, though he hadn’t asked her if she wanted it that way. She held her tongue. 

“Very well,” the Goblin murmured as he looked her over, taking the pouch from Snape. He pulled out the money she’d withdrawn and counted it patiently. When he was done, he slid a key and a piece of paper to Snape before ignoring them. 

Snape led her out of the bank, looking at the paper with a frown before handing it to her. “This lists how much you have in your vault,” he told her as he pocketed her key. She didn’t object, seeing as she didn’t seem to have pockets in the dress he’d insisted she wear. Looking at the list, she had no idea what it meant. Was it a lot? 

“Let’s stop and have some tea and something to eat,” he told her when he saw the lost look on her face. “And I’ll explain what that means.” 

She smiled gratefully and followed him to the nearest café. They sat at a table near the windows and she let him order for them, looking outside at everyone bustling around. It was a little overwhelming to think that she had no idea what to expect here. Everything was so alien to her. She felt so out of her elements. 

She wanted to go home. 

Not Spinner’s End, not Malfoy Manor, but home. 

* * *

Snape watched her as she looked outside, wondering what was going through her head. She looked so lost. He also noticed how people had begun talking in hushed tones, and the glares directed towards Miranda and frowned in disgust. Who were they to glare at his wife? _Why_ were they glaring at her in the first place? Sighing in resignation, he took the paper from her, drawing her attention to it. “This says that the money you gave…” he paused, not even knowing how much she’d had. 

“Over sixty nine thousand dollars,” she supplied with a shrug. 

He looked at her blankly. Was that a lot? He shook his head dismissively. “It gave you fifty two thousand galleons, five thousand sickles and three thousand knuts. All in all, it’s a nice roundness to what you gave… minus the exchange rate, of course.” 

“Of course,” she murmured, eyebrow raised. 

And he’d lost her again. He wondered if she would ever understand what he was talking about, but then remembered that for someone who’d only been exposed to this life for two days, she was doing pretty well. At least she wasn’t running away screaming at all the over-exposure she was getting. 

Glancing left, he noticed the Daily Prophet sitting on the table beside them. He cursed when he saw the headlines. 

_Harry Potter and His New Woman!_

Beneath it was the picture of the four of them as they’d exited the elevator after court. Snatching it up, he opened it up to read just how badly they’d messed up this time. 

Well this explained the glares and the talk. They were angry at Miranda because they thought she was seeing Potter. He wondered if Draco was going to keep his word and fire the idiot reporter. 

Then he noticed the article beneath it. 

_Massive Breakout From Azkaban!_

_An investigation has been launched to ascertain who aided in the escape of several high-profile escaped convicts from Azkaban last night. So far, there is no evidence of collaboration within the current guards, but no one is being discounted. Amongst the group of escapees are Ginny Potter, Blaise Zabini, and the newly caught Hermione Granger who had been thought killed in the war. Stay with us for more details of this story as they become available._

* * *

“We have to go,” he murmured as he rose to his feet. She looked at him in surprise but followed his lead. She stopped when she saw the article at the top. “Is this why everyone is giving me dirty looks?” she asked, frowning as she saw the picture and sighed in disgust. 

“Yes, but that’s not why we have to go,” he told her as he flipped the paper over and she saw the article he’d been reading. He watched as her eyes widened and she followed as he led the way out of the café. “We just need to do one quick stop before we leave,” he told her as he placed a hand on her waist, leading her towards Ollivander’s shop. They needed to get her a wand she could practice with. 

Entering the shop, he wasn’t surprised when the old man came out with a wide smile. “Hello,” he said pleasantly. 

Miranda smile hesitantly at him and looked at Snape, probably wondering what they were doing there. “Miranda needs a wand, Mr. Ollivander,” he said smoothly. 

Ollivander’s smile widened. “Yes, I believe so,” he murmured as he turned and began pulling several wands out. He held out the first one for her to try. She looked at Snape with a blank look. “You have to wave it. See what it does,” Ollivander told her gently. 

She did as he said and jumped when boxes flew off a nearby shelf. 

“Mm,” Ollivander murmured as he took it from her and put it back in its box before handing her another one. 

She tried again and gasped in surprise when the flower on the desk in front of her blew up, leaving the vase intact. She threw it on the desk and took a step back, eyeing the wand warily. 

“Alright,” Ollivander murmured as he went back to his shelves to look at what else he had. “What exactly do you do for a living?” 

“I used to take care of magical animal. Mostly Unicorns and Pegasi, though there were others as well.” 

“Yes,” Ollivander murmured as if this meant something to him. “I think…” He moved off to the far back and came out with a new box. 

Holding out the wand to her, Snape watched as she took it from the old man, movements even more hesitant than before. They were both surprised when it glowed in her hand. “What’s the core of this wand?” Snape asked curiously. 

“Dragon scale and it would appear that you are just like Mr. Potter. He, too, has a unique wand. It makes me wonder if you’ll be, maybe not as powerful as your brother, but maybe close to it,” he told her with a knowing smile. Snape paid for the wand and pocketed it for her. 

“How did you know he was my brother? The Daily Prophet didn’t even get it right,” Miranda asked him in surprise.

His smile widened as he looked at her. “One learns to read between the lines with that paper.” He laughed in surprise when she moved forward and gave him a hug. “What was that for?” he asked in amusement as he patted her back. 

“For not judging,” she murmured as she pulled away with a shy smile for him, making Snape frown. “Bye, Mr. Ollivander.” 

Outside, Snape took hold of her arm, intending to Apparate from there, but they’d barely left the steps when they were surrounded. “Don’t make a scene and no one’ll get hurt,” one growled as he grabbed hold of Miranda’s other arm, yanking her roughly away from Snape. 

She gasped in surprise and pain. “Miranda, don’t,” Snape said when he saw her tense up to lash out. She didn’t know the danger behind the wands, but he did. He also knew these men wouldn’t hesitate to hurt either one of them to achieve their goal. 

And right now, their goal was to get them. 

“I’d listen to him, Sweetheart,” the man growled, leering at her. Snape tensed but didn’t say anything. They were obviously hoping for a chance to do some violence. If Miranda had been versed in wand use, he might have attempted something, but as it was, he was stuck. 

He felt someone grab hold of his arm and he glared at the person, who seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before they Disapparated. 

* * *

“Get off me!” Draco heard Harry growl, apparently ambushed in the living room. 

He heard Blaise laugh. “That’s it, fight, Potter, because you’re not getting away this time.” 

“Search the rest of the house. She wants to make sure the kids are still here, then we can take them all to the Granger house,” Ginny ordered, alerting Draco to hide before someone walked past him. He heard two sets of footsteps go by him, one heading up the stairs and the other going in the direction of the kitchen. They came running back a few minutes later. 

“They’re all gone,” he heard someone growl. He heard Harry laugh before he gasped in pain. “Thought that was funny, _Potter_?” the voice demanded as Draco moved closer and saw five people in the living room besides Harry. He recognized Ginny, Goyle and Blaise, but the other two he didn’t recognize. The person standing closest to Harry drew his foot back and kicked him in the ribs again, just for good measure and Draco wanted to hex the moron badly, but knew it would give him away and right now, Harry needed him free to get him out of this situation. 

“I told you we should have put up a Silencing spell when we arrived. The noise he made probably alerted Draco,” Blaise said as he shoved Harry back onto the floor when he made to rise. “Stay down,” he ordered angrily. 

“It doesn’t matter. It’ll only be a matter of time before Hermione gets inside Malfoy Manor. The idiot didn’t even change his Wards at the end of the war so we have time,” Ginny drawled as she walked closer to Harry and knelt down to look at him. “Hello, _dear_. It was rude of you to put us in Azkaban, but we’re free now and we’re going to try this again. Our Lord is waiting impatiently to be brought back.” 

She frowned when Harry laughed and winced as it jarred his bruised ribs. “I guess she didn’t tell you that’s not going to happen anymore,” he drawled, looking up at her, defiance on his face. 

“What do you mean?” Blaise demanded as he looked at him, unsure if he should believe him. 

“I mean that Hermione was hit by the Killing curse, but instead of killing her, it killed the part of Voldemort that existed inside of her.” Blaise drew his arm back and hit Harry in the chest, knocking the air out of him. 

“You lie,” he growled angrily as he pulled his arm back for another punch. 

“Enough!” Ginny snapped, making Blaise pause. Harry coughed and laughed at them. 

“Why would I lie? It’s how I lived when he hit me with the Curse in the Forbidden Forest all those years ago.” He laughed again at the look of doubt on the faces above him. “The Boy Who Survived the Killing curse not once, but twice!” He gasped in pain as Blaise’s fist connected with his ribs again and they heard something crack. 

“I told you to stop,” Ginny snapped at Blaise and shoved him off Harry, who curled into a ball, arms around his chest as he tried to breathe through the pain. 

“I won’t put up with his lies!” Blaise yelled back at her. 

“Go get the plans and let’s get out of here. She’s going to need to know about this delay,” Ginny sighed, glaring. Blaise stalked past her, glaring back at her, giving Draco time to hide before the man walked past him and down the hallway. 

He came back quickly. “They’re gone!” 

“What? We needed those to get into that manor! That and _him_ ” she said, pointing down at Harry. “Otherwise we can’t get in.” 

“How are we supposed to accomplish that without even knowing where the damn thing is?” Goyle asked, frowning at Ginny. 

“Never mind. We need to go. Grab him. The others should already be at the house.” 

Draco waited until they were gone, gritting his teeth when they hauled Harry to his feet, ignoring his gasp of pain, and Apparated away. He wanted to follow them, but he had to make it back to the Manor before they decided to test his Wards and get into his home in an effort to find the kids. 

He Apparated away and appeared in the Manor foyer. Closing his eyes, he fixed the Manor Wards to block everyone from coming in. It meant that he’d have to key in Harry, the kids, Miranda and Snape once more, but it couldn’t be helped. This way he was sure no one was coming in without permission. 

Opening his eyes, he saw Tammy waiting for him to acknowledge her before she bowed to him. “Are the children safe?” he asked, wondering if he should firecall Snape and warn him about the breakout. 

“Yes, Master,” she told him, nodding so that her ears flapped back and forth. 

“Did anyone come here while we were gone?” 

“Yes, Master. The Dark Lady was here, but left growling. Coming back later, she said,” she told him, eyes worried that he would punish her. 

He frowned at that. The Dark Lady? Who..? Then it dawned on him. Hermione had been in his home, which made Ginny’s comment of the Wards not yet changed make sense. That was how they knew the Wards hadn’t been changed to eliminate anyone who’d been here during Voldemort’s reign. It was true that he hadn’t thought about changing the Wards after the war. He’d always meant to do it but had kept putting it off… until now. “But she’s gone now?” he asked sharply. 

“Yes, Master. She’s gone. What should Tammy do if Dark Lady comes back?” Tammy asked, tilting her head to one side. 

“She won’t be back. I made sure of that. Watch the kids for a while. I need to get Harry back,” he told her as he turned towards the fireplace. He needed to warn Snape. 

“Yes, Master.” With that Tammy left him in the foyer by himself. Walking to the fireplace, Draco threw a handful of Floo powder and firecalled Spinner’s End. 

A house-elf came jogging to see who it was and Draco realized it was Jarett. “Master Draco?” he asked in surprise. 

“Where’s Snape?” he asked impatiently. 

“Theys be out, Master. Shopping,” Jarett said, ears drooping slightly. 

“Great,” Draco muttered darkly. “When they get back, tell Snape to firecall me.” 

“Jarett will, Master,” the house-elf assured him and Draco pulled his head out of the green flames. He wondered who Ginny had meant when she’d said the others would be at the house. The Granger house. How stupid could you be, to use your own family home as a base of operations? 

Of course, if no one knew you were there, it was the perfect place. No one would suspect a Muggle home to hold anyone with magical powers. Now he just had to wait for Snape to contact him and they could work out a plan of attack. 

“Alban!” he called out when he got tired of waiting. 

The house-elf appeared beside him. “Master?” 

“Stay here and wait for Snape to firecall. Come get me when he does,” he told the little creature as he walked towards his study to take a look at the house plans. 

* * *

“Jarett will, Master,” the house-elf assured him and then Draco was gone. Now Jarett was beginning to worry. What could possibly be wrong? Had something happened to his Mistress? If anything happened to her, he didn’t know what he’d do. He wanted to protect her, but he was only a house-elf. What could he do? 

He had to find her! He knew how to do it where no one would hear or see him. 

Concentrating on her mind, he Apparated away… to appear behind her. She’d been tied to a chair along with Snape and Harry. Looking around, he quickly Apparated inside the closet in the wall behind them before anyone realized he was there. 

* * *

Draco frowned when, an hour later, he still hadn’t heard from Snape. What the hell could be keeping the man? It wasn’t like he enjoyed shopping, no matter what he was buying, and he had a suspicious feeling it was for things to teach Miranda. 

Where the hell was he? 

Getting up with a sigh of exasperation, he decided to go to the Granger house. But what if they were on the lookout? Moving quickly, he went upstairs and into the room Harry had been using, wondering if the house-elves had moved his things into his room yet or not. 

Funny that he hadn’t heard of Hermione’s capture when it happened, but then his family had fallen in disfavor with the Dark Lord by that time. He wondered if his father had known about it but he wasn’t about to ask him right now either. It was a good thing he and mother had decided to go into exile. He couldn’t be blamed for this. 

Draco frowned as he realized that in the last few years, he hadn’t thought about his parents. Not once had he written to them or them to him. Maybe he should…

Draco shook his head at the direction his thoughts had taken. There was no use in speculating right now. He needed to help Harry. Unfortunately, Harry’s room was empty so he hurried into his room. 

He had to have brought it, he thought as he looked through the closet, but couldn’t find it. 

Frowning at the things the house-elves had brought over from Harry’s home, he wondered in what Harry could have packed it in. He remembered Harry using it that year on the train when he’d wanted to spy on him. 

His eyes landed on Harry’s old school trunk and walked over to it. He wouldn’t… would he? 

Opening it up, he rifled through the trunk until his fingers met with soft cloth and he paused, eyes wide as he pulled it out. 

The Invisibility Cloak! 

Draping it over his arm, he hurried downstairs. In the Floo room, Alban was still standing guard, waiting for Snape to call. “Alban, when Snape calls back tell him I’ve gone to the Granger residence to rescue Harry.” 

“Yes, Master,” Alban said, bowing low. 

A realization came to him before he could leave the Floo room. He was going to need help, but who could he ask..? 

Of course! 

Throwing a handful of Floo powder, he firecalled Ronald Weasley. This was definitely a first. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought he’d ask a Weasley for help, but he was the only link he had to the Aurors. 

“Malfoy?” Ron asked when he realized who he was looking at. 

“Shut up and listen to me carefully, Weasley. Harry’s been captured by Ginny and Hermione. Bring as many Aurors to Hermione’s family home as you can.” 

“Hermione’s home? Why?” Ron asked, frowning as he tried to process what Draco was telling him. Harry captured? Again? 

“Because that’s where Harry’s being kept,” Draco said, as if he were talking to a particularly stupid child. 

Ron’s face began to turn red. “I’ll see how many Aurors I can round up.” 

Draco pulled out of the fireplace and walked out of the Manor. He didn’t have time to wait for someone to show up. He just hoped Ron would be quick about it. 

Outside, he pulled the cloak around his body, watching in amazement as his body vanished with a slight smile before he pulling it over his head. Once he was sure he was completely covered, he Apparated to Hermione’s old home. He remembered the address from when Voldemort had wanted her parents killed… he wondered if the Dark Lord had gone through with the assassination or if he’d called it off. 

Shrugging it off as insignificant, he looked around at the homes around Hermione house. Most of them appeared empty, including Hermione’s and it was very quiet. 

A Silencing Charm had been used he realized as he walked down the street and across the road. He made sure his shoes didn’t make a sound on the pavement, in case someone was on the look-out. 

Just as he got to the hedge, one of Hermione’s cronies came around the back, glowering as he looked around at the street and Draco froze, waiting to see if he was going to be discovered, seeming to forget that the cloak hid him effectively. 

When the man continued on his way, however, Draco sighed in relief and walked around to the path leading to the door, but instead of going to the door, he followed the man, careful to stay a few feet behind him in case he turned around. He thought he’d heard a noise on the street, but since the man didn’t turn around, he figured it was probably just his nerves. 

* * *

Miranda watched as the men stood behind Hermione and Ginny. Somehow, Molly had been brought to the house they were currently in. She was sickened at how Molly was acting. If she’d been a puppy, she’d have been panting happily with her tail wagging while Ginny cooed at her. 

“What a shame you survived,” Hermione murmured as she pushed her face close to Miranda’s. She spit in Hermione’s face and gasped in pain when she was backhanded for her trouble. “Cut her free of the chair,” Hermione ordered. 

She felt the rope let go of the chair, but not of her wrists, before she was hauled to her feet and shoved forwards. She looked at Hermione, registering the wand pointed at her. 

“ _Crucio_.” The pain hit her, making her feel like her body was on fire. She didn’t even realize she was screaming or that she’d fallen to the floor as her body writhed. “ _Crucia!_ ” 

She dimly heard Hermione laugh while Snape growled at the woman, her body twitching in pain. 

“So I guess she’s not the new woman in your life, Harry,” she heard Hermione mock and heard her footsteps get closer to her. She felt a foot come up and push her onto her back and bit back a moan as the movement made her nerves scream in protest. “But the one in yours, _Professor_ Snape.” 

“Leave her out of this,” Snape growled dangerously. Looking over at him, she saw him fighting with his ropes, but they’d made sure they were tight enough that he wouldn’t get out of them. 

“Oh, but it’s so much more fun to watch you suffer,” Hermione murmured with a smile on her face. ”Like now, _Crucio_.” 

Miranda clenched her teeth against the scream that was clawing its way out of her throat as she writhed on the floor again. It didn’t last long and soon she was screaming again, feelling like her nerves were on fire again. It felt like forever before Hermione cancelled the spell. 

Miranda gasped and curled into a ball, trying to get the pain under control, but every breath felt like she was breathing in fire and she whimpered softly. 

“Crabbe, Goyle, take her to the other room. She’s your reward for a job well done.” 

She dimly registered the two men leering down at her as they hauled her off the floor and dragged her away. 

“ _Enervate_!” 

She gasped as she became suddenly alert, looking at the two hulking men with her. 

“Don’t want you to miss anything,” one of them said before cackling gleefully. 

That’s when she realized she was laying on a bed… in a different room. It didn’t take much for her to realize what they meant to do with her. She looked at them, horror filling her and she shook her head, unable to say anything, the words chocking her. 

“Oh, yes.” 

Pulling a phial out of his pocket, Crabbe nodded to Goyle, who pinned her shoulders down on the bed. Crabbe laughed and held her head straight so he could pour its contents down her throat. She chocked on it, but most of it slide down. They laughed as they watched her coughed and struggled with the rope. 

She blinked as the room seemed to take on a hazy quality, wondering what they’d given her this time. 

“It seems that the potion’s working,” Goyle said with a laugh. 

“Yeah, if she brewed it right, it won’t matter who comes in. She’ll only see us now.” 

“We all know the know-it-all doesn’t do anything wrong,” Goyle sneered maliciously. 

“Why else would the Dark Lord use her like this?” 

Crabbe shrugged indifferently. “Let’s have fun,” he murmured, pushing her over onto her side. He cut the ropes off her wrists and pushed her back onto her back, laughing when she tried to push him away from her, only pushing her back down. She came up again and raked her nails down his face. With a growl of pain, he slapped her across the face. 

Miranda gasped in pain, momentarily stunned. 

He took advantage of her daze to flip her onto her stomach. “Crabbe, grab hold of her hands,” Goyle said as he undid his pants, pulling his erection out. He laughed as Crabbe took hold of her hands in his big meaty ones and pinned them above her head. Flipping her skirt up, he drooled as he rubbed the arse in front of him. He proceeded to cut her underwear off to see her, ignoring her gasps of pain as the blade cut her skin. 

That’s when Miranda realized the position she was in and struggled, kicking out, screaming when he slapped her arse, making them laugh. She cried out when he pried the cheeks apart to push a dry finger into the virginal hole. She tensed, feeling it sliding into her and it hurt. 

Laughing some more, Crabbe pulled his finger out and lined himself up. 

Gritting her teeth against the pain she knew was coming, she couldn’t hold back the scream as he pushed in slowly, feeling something tear as he pushed in deeper. When he was fully in, he groaned and pulled out, only to push roughly back in, causing more pain to shoot up her spine, making her scream again. 

She buried her face in the bed, her tears getting the blanket wet, trying to ignore his grunts as he raped her, gritting her teeth when he sped up. When his seed splashed inside her torn hole, she bit her lip to keep from screaming at the pain. She gasped when he pulled out of her and heard him laugh, probably at the blood she knew was on his length. 

Crabbe let go of her hands and they laughed as she curled into a ball, pulling her dress tight around her legs. 

“Oh, no you don’t,” Goyle murmured as he pulled his wand out. “Gotta keep you awake,” he laughed. “ _Crucio_.” 

She stiffened in pain and screamed again, her voice becoming hoarse. She writhed on the bed, making the men laugh as they watched. She was gasping when they stopped, body twitching, tears running down her face again, and threw up over the side of the bed, missing Goyle’s feet as he was beginning to move around the bed. She didn’t care, she just wanting it to end. 

She felt herself being rolled onto her back. 

“Do you want me to hold her hands?” Crabbe asked. 

“Nah, I like when they fight. Makes it more interesting,” he said as he pulled her closer. She became aware that he’d placed her legs on each side of his. 

Crabbe laughed when she sat up and punched Goyle in the face. “Yeah, I see what you mean.” 

Goyle glared at Crabbe before glaring at her, hand holding his jaw. “Fuckin’ bitch,” he growled, slapping her. She cried out in pain as her world exploded in stars. He ripped the top of her dress, wanting to see her breasts before she felt his tongue push into her mouth as he pulled her dress up and fumbled with his fly. Deciding she’d had enough of being abused, she bit down hard enough to taste blood, the coppery taste making her gag. 

With a howl of pain, he tried to pull back, but she refused to let go, until he punched her in the ribs. He hit her again, just for spite after she let go, before pulling his erection from his pants. Pulling her closer, he shoved into her, making her scream. She pushed against his waist, trying to make him stop. 

She felt a small hand press up against hers. In surprise, she moved her hand away slightly, wondering what that had been. She stilled for a couple of seconds when she felt the hilt of a knife pressed into her hand. Grabbing it without question, she plunged into Goyle, feeling it slide in between his ribs, where she hoped his heart was. 

He stilled in surprise, eyes popping wide. 

With a cry of fear, she pulled it out and plunged it in his neck, ignoring the blood splashing her. When he pulled out of her, she was surprised she managed to keep hold of the knife and rolled off the bed. 

Managing the keep the bed between herself and Crabbe, she watched him carefully as he watched his friend fall to the floor, blood making a puddle under him. With a growl of anger, he advanced on her. She held the knife in front of her, fear clear in her eyes, but determined. 

* * *

Draco was surprised to hear a woman screaming in pain and fear inside the house. Apparently they’d put the Silencing Charm around the property so no one else could hear, but weren’t concerned if anyone inside the perimeter heard anything. 

When they reached the back, Draco moved closer to the house, hoping he wasn’t making too much noise as he got closer to the bushes by the back door. His eyebrows rose when he heard a muffled curse as a couple of Aurors jumped the man he’d been following. 

That was when he noticed one of the men standing there was Ron. He was going to call out to the man when he heard voices from the window beside him, which was opened a little. “They took care of the Malfoys?” he heard, followed by another scream of pain, and froze. 

“How many did it take?” someone else asked and Draco thought it sounded like Blaise. 

“Six. I guess they hadn’t lost any of their spunk what with living the posh life in France. They took out four of our guys before they got the woman. I heard them say that if it hadn’t been for that, they might not have gotten either of them.” Draco smiled grimly in satisfaction as he realized who they were talking about. At least his parents hadn’t gone down without a fight. “ _She_ wasn’t too happy when she found out. I hear Macnair paid with his life for the loss of his men.” 

Looking in the window, Draco could see the look of surprise on Blaise’s face. “She actually went as far as killing him? For something he couldn’t control?” 

The other man shrugged. “She told him the Dark Lord won’t put up with failure. She tortured him before finally killing him. Are we still doing the ritual to bring him back?” 

Blaise frowned as he thought that through. “According to what Potter said tonight, it seems that our Lord is dead for good this time. I don’t think the ritual will do any good. After we got Potter, I checked the Mark on my arm, and I think he was right. It’s starting to fade,” he said as he showed the other the Dark Mark on his arm. Even as far as he was, Draco could see the Mark was indeed lighter than it should be. 

_So_ , Draco thought with a frown. _Harry’s words are creating doubt among the enemy_. He wondered if that had been his plan all along. He watched the other man pull his own sleeve away from his arm to look at his own Mark. 

“If the Dark Lord isn’t coming back, why should we listen to _her_?” he asked, looking up at Blaise. “We were only going along with her plan because it meant _he_ was coming back to lead us. I didn’t join up to listen to a jumped up Mudblood.” 

“Exactly,” Blaise murmured with a narrowed look. “Get the ones you know you can trust and bring them back here. There’s no point in going down with her.” Draco was surprised when they got up and went into separate rooms. 

He went over to where Ron was standing and tapped him on the shoulder, pulling the cloak off his head. “Malfoy? What are you doing with Harry’s cloak?” he asked, pulling him away from the others so no one would overhear him. 

“I didn’t know how long you were going to be and I wanted to get here without being seen. I think we might be getting some company. Blaise and another man are going to get some friends. I think they’re going to try and escape before Hermione realizes what’s going on. I’m going inside to get Harry out.” 

Ron frowned at him, but nodded, going back to his co-workers. 

Pulling the cloak back over his head, Draco walked back to the window in time to see Blaise coming back with a few men in tow. “We’ll meet at the castle in France. If we keep our heads down, no one will realize who we are,” Blaise said as he opened the back door and they walked outside... right into the ambush the Aurors had laid for them. 

Moving quickly, he walked into the house ducking to avoid being hit by a _Stupefy_. He was surprised that no one inside the house was alerted to the fight outside, but figured the Death Eaters in the trap hadn’t had a chance to yell out a warning to those inside. 

Walking around, he came across another group with their heads together, whispering and looking around in case they got caught. 

Draco wondered just how many of them were coming to the realization that their ‘Lord’ was never coming back. It seemed Hermione was quickly losing the support she’d once had, showing that they were really there for Voldemort and not her. 

He smiled maliciously as the group got up and all but one of them walked out the front door, closing it quietly behind them. It looked like the Aurors were going to be busy tonight. He wondered just how many were going to manage to get away, but then, he didn’t really care. 

He just wanted to help Harry… and whoever kept screaming. Who were they torturing up there? He wondered as the screaming came again. 

He followed the man as he went upstairs where another group of four men were sitting around a table with looks of boredom. 

Well, it seemed he wouldn’t have that many men to fight as they seemed to be deserting their posts before anyone noticed their absences. Draco continued down the hallway, following the sound of someone talking loudly. 

At the last door, he slid in quietly and watched as Hermione stood in front of two people and was surprised to see Snape tied to a chair beside Harry’s, another scream tore across the house though this time it was short. Draco realized who it was when he saw Snape tense against his bonds. 

They had Miranda, too? He realized he hadn’t seen Crabbe or Goyle in his walk around the house. Were they with her? 

“Where are they, Harry? Or should I tell them to do worse things to her?” Hermione asked. Beside her stood Ginny with…

Draco had to blink a few times, thinking he was seeing things. Molly Weasley? Ginny was talking to her mother like she was a small puppy begging for attention. “Don’t worry, Mum, your babies will be back,” she murmured as she caressed the elder Weasley’s hair. 

Molly was looking at Ginny adoringly. If she’d been a puppy, her tail would have been wagging and she’d have been panting happily. 

“What did you do to your mother, Ginny? Did she really deserve this?” Harry asked, nodding at Molly. 

“It’s all your fault,” she told him, an eyebrow raised as she turned to look at him. 

“How’s that?” 

“You turned her against me. She came to my room after you proposed to me and saw the Dark Mark. I couldn’t let her ruin my plans, so I fixed her. Now she only sees what I tell her she sees.” 

“Answer me, Harry. Where are the children?” Hermione asked as she walked calmly over to Harry until he had to look up at her. 

“You’ll never get them, Hermione. By now, Draco’s gone back to the Manor and changed the Wards. You won’t get inside again,” Harry told her, look defiant. “Besides, you have no use for them now that Voldemort is gone for good.” 

Harry was surprised when she slapped him, then remembered the wand Draco had snapped and laughed. “That’s right, you don’t have a wand anymore, do you?” he asked as he looked at her, ignoring his stinging cheek. 

“What’s he talking about, Mistress?” Ginny asked, frowning in confusion. “This is the second time he’s said our Lord wasn’t coming back. Now he’s saying that you’re wand’s been snapped? Is that why you wanted my wand?” 

“Don’t listen to him. He’ll try anything to make you doubt our mission,” Hermione told her, glaring at Harry. 

“Draco snapped it when we caught her. It’s how she ended up in Azkaban. Don’t you talk to your people, Hermione?” Harry asked her with an eyebrow raised. “Very poor practice.” 

“Shut up!” she screamed at him, hitting him again. 

Ginny turned to look at Hermione, hand still on her mother’s head as her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What he’s saying is true, isn’t it? If our Lord can’t be brought back, why do we need the children?” 

“Because we need them,” Hermione snapped, turning to face Ginny. “How dare you question me? _Crucio_!”

Ginny screamed as she dropped to the floor, writhing in pain. Molly screeched and launched herself at Hermione. “How dare you hurt my baby!” she asked, clawing at Hermione’s face, eyes wild. 

It took a few moments, but Hermione managed to fight Molly back and pointed her wand at the elder Weasley. “ _Avada Kedavra!_ ” Hermione screamed. Panting, Ginny struggled to her feet and ran at her, inadvertently catching the curse Hermione shot at Molly. She flew back into the wall, landing on the floor with a vacant look on her surprised face. 

With another screech, Molly launched at Hermione again. Both women went flying out the second story window, neither one seeming to have realized Hermione was standing in front of. 

Moving quickly, Draco walked behind Harry and untied his hands before doing the same for Snape. Both men looked surprised when their bonds seemed to fall off. “We have to get out of here,” Draco said as he pulled the cloak off. 

At that point, two Aurors ran into the room, wands drawn. “Typical,” Draco muttered softly. “Always late to the party.” 

“You brought the Aurors?” Harry asked, surprised at seeing the men. 

“Technically, Ron did. I just told him where you were being kept. It looks like they managed to subdue a good portion of the escaping Death Eaters,” Draco told him in amusement. 

Snape hurried out of the room, ignoring the banter. Draco looked at Harry questioningly. 

“They’ve been torturing Miranda since I got here,” he told him as he followed the Potions master. 

In the last room, they found Miranda huddled in the corner. Crabbe had been wrestled to the floor by three Aurors while Goyle lay in a pool of blood beside the bed, throat slashed open. There was a man crouched a few feet from Miranda and Harry now saw why he was keeping his distance. 

She’d apparently managed to get a knife from one of her tormentors and was using it to protect herself from what she perceived as danger. 

“Move,” Snape ordered as he walked past the Auror, approaching his wife cautiously. “Miranda,” he murmured softly, watching her carefully. 

Her eyes were wild as she watched everyone in the room. She had quite a few cuts on her person and she was clutching the front of her dress closed to hide her chest. It looked like she was the one who had killed Goyle. She whimpered and pushed herself deeper into the corner. 

“It’s Severus,” he murmured softly, reaching cautiously out to her. When she made to lunge at him, the Auror pointed his wand at her, but Harry reached him before he could do anything. 

“Let him. He’s her husband.” The Auror frowned at him, but nodded reluctantly. Harry and Draco watched as Snape caught her, easily avoiding the knife. She screamed in fear and anger, but he just cradled her back against him as he pried it out of her hand. The Auror moved quickly to collect the knife. 

“Shh,” he whispered in her ear as she struggled in his hold. “You’re safe.” 

“No more,” she pleaded, voice hoarse, as she continued to struggle, trying to get away, tears rolling down her cheeks when she realized she couldn’t escape. 

“No more,” Snape agreed, his hold tightening around her until he felt her collapse against him in defeat. “I have you,” he told her as he ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face. 

“Take her home, Professor,” Harry whispered, in case she went wild again. 

Turning her around, he scooped her up in his arms and stood, and nodded to Harry and Draco before Apparating away, despite the protest of the Auror who’d been trying to get the knife from her. “But we need a statement!” 

Harry turned to look at the idiot. “Are you really going to question a woman who’s nearly catatonic?” he asked angrily. 

The Auror looked at him and frowned. 

“Forget it, Turner,” Ron said from the door. “This is Harry Potter. You’re not going to win an argument with him, especially when it comes to his family.” Turner scowled at Ron and turned away from them. “Harry,” Ron said, shaking his hand. “Sorry it took us so long to get here to help, but our hands were kind of full with all the Death Eaters trying to escape from the house.” 

“Did any of them escape?” Draco asked, eyebrow raised questioningly. 

“A few, but we got most of them.” 

“How’s your mother?” Harry asked, hand on his best friend’s shoulder. 

Ron was white, but he shook his head. “I don’t know how she survived the fall, but she’s alive. They’re taking her to St. Mungo’s to be evaluated. Hermione also survived, but I don’t think she’ll be walking again. The Mediwizard who looked at her a few minutes ago said she broke her back when she landed on the rocks outside, that and the lump on the back of her head. We’ll know more when the healers at St. Mungo’s look at her. Funny thing is, if she’d have landed five inches to the right, she’d have survived with a few broken bones,” he said with a shrug. “What happened in that room?” 

“Hermione cast the Cruciatus curse at Ginny, which sent your mum screaming at her while she tried to claw Hermione’s eyes out. By the time Hermione managed the fight your mother off, Ginny had recovered enough to try and attack her. Unfortunately, Hermione sent the Killing curse at your mum. Ginny got in the way and caught it. Your mum went after Hermione again and they went crashing through the window.” 

Ron sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “You’re going to be at Malfoy Manor?” he asked them tiredly. At their nods, he sighed again. “Go home. If we need to ask you some questions, we’ll contact you.” 

“Thanks, Ron, and…” Harry hesitated, unsure how Ron would take his sympathy where Ginny was concerned. “I’m sorry about Ginny. I didn’t want this for her, you know?” 

Ron nodded and smiled slightly. “I know, mate. I’ll talk to you later.”


	29. Normal Lives?

Chapter 29 – Normal Lives? 

“We need to get you to St. Mungo’s and have your ribs looked at,” Draco told Harry after they’d Apparated outside the Manor doors and Draco had added him to the wards. 

“I need to see the kids first,” Harry murmured, wincing when he took a deep breath and it jarred his ribs. 

“I’m beginning to think you don’t trust me to make sure they’re protected,” Draco said with a raised eyebrow. 

Harry looked at him in surprise. “You know I do. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t panic as much as I did when they came through the fireplace at Grimmauld Place. I knew if I made enough noise, you’d hear and get them out.” 

“Then trust me now and let’s go to St. Mungo’s. You know the kids will worry if they know you were hurt trying to protect them,” Draco told him in a tone that meant he was serious. 

Sighing in resignation, Harry nodded and allowed Draco to pull him into his arms. “Besides,” Draco murmured, eyes darkening in pleasure at the feel of him against him. “I’d rather not worry about hurting you later tonight.” 

Harry laughed and winced. “Let’s get this over with. You have business to do at the _Daily Prophet_ later anyway.” 

Draco laughed and Apparated them away. 

* * *

Snape walked up the stairs, stilling Miranda’s struggles easily. It seemed that now that she perceived herself caught again, she didn’t see a point in fighting him… yet. He frowned down at her, noticing the swelling on her face under the blood, but didn’t say anything. 

Opening the door to their room, he was surprised to see Jarett there with the blankets turned down on the bed and a bowl of water with a towel on the bedside table. His ears were drooping and his eyes were luminescent with unshed tears. Did he know what she’d been through, he wondered as he headed for the bed. 

When he went to lay her down, she screamed and fought him. “Stop!” he ordered when he almost dropped her. She stilled instantly, panting hard, eyes wide as she watched him. Probably waiting for the blow, he realized, anger towards the two brutes filling him as he felt her tremble. He straightened up and reached for his wand, wanting to see what they’d done to her, but she screamed and cringed back into the mattress and he stopped, pulling his hand away from it. 

He was going to have to get Madam Pomfrey to come check her over, he realized. He also didn’t know if he could do the scans and not want to kill the remaining attacker. “Stay put,” he ordered, giving her a look that told her he expected her to obey him. The tear that slid down her cheek nearly undid him, but he didn’t let it show on his face. 

Rising to his feet, he walked into the closet to get her a different set of clothes. He pulled out a shirt and pants for her, figuring she’d feel better with something that wasn’t so easily removable. When he came out, he blinked in surprise. 

The bed was empty and Jarett stood in front of the door, like he’d been preventing her from leaving. The house-elf pointed at the dark corner beside the bed. “Mistress hiding,” he told Snape sadly. 

Sighing, Snape nodded and walked over to the bed. He gestured for Jarett to leave. “Come out, Miranda. There’s no use in hiding.” He turned and looked at the faint outline against the wall. At first there was no movement, but then the shadow began to move hesitantly forward. “Let’s change your clothes,” he murmured softly, holding out his hand to her. He wondered who it was she was seeing, because it was obvious from her reaction that she wasn’t seeing him. 

She almost had her hand in his when there was a carefully knock on the door. Snape cursed as Miranda scurried back into her corner. 

* * *

“You should have come here as soon as it happened,” the Mediwizard said with a disapproving look as he turned and picked up a potion for Harry to take. Draco exchanged an amused look with Harry at the unlikely chance of that. “We wouldn’t have to heal your broken ribs, just the crack in them.” 

They hadn’t told the man anything, not wanting to have to answer unwanted questions. So, of course, he assumed it had been something he and Draco had been doing together that had broken his ribs. 

“I was kind of… tied up, at the time,” Harry murmured, ignoring Draco as he snorted at the pun as he downed the potion, trying not to gag at the taste. “How long will it take to mend?” 

“You should be good as new in a few hours. You can go home now, and stay away from whatever broke your ribs in the first place,” the Mediwizard told him with a look of warning. 

“Oh, trust me, that won’t be hard to do.” He smiled when the Mediwizard shot him a look, probably trying to figure out if Harry was making fun of him. “Can I go now?” 

“Yes.” 

“Thank you.” They walked out of St. Mungo’s and into the street. He noticed Draco frowning. “What’s wrong?” 

“We forgot to ask how Mrs. Weasley and Hermione were doing.” 

Harry shrugged and started walking toward the _Daily Prophet_ building. “I figured I’d let Ron tell me. I don’t really want to have to deal with the publicity I’d get from announcing who I am. Especially in there.” 

“Ah,” Draco murmured in understanding. “One more stop and then we can go reassure the kids that the danger is almost over.” 

Harry looked over at him in confusion. “Almost over?” 

“There’s still the party invites to send out and then the actual party to get through. Once all the parading has been taken care of, then I will consider the danger passed,” Draco drawled and smiled slightly as Harry groaned at the idea of being the center of attention once again. 

“We can’t skip this… spectacle, can we?” Harry asked hopefully, eyes pleading with him to say they could. 

“Sorry, Harry, but we have to do this. Unless you want everyone to believe you and Miranda are an item.” 

Harry sighed in resignation. “Fine,” he muttered darkly, glaring at the ground. “As long as we don’t have to do too many of these… displays. I hate being the center of attention.” 

They walked the rest of the way in silence, just enjoying being with one another. As they neared the building, Harry frowned in thought. “Are you really going to have that reporter fired?” 

Draco shrugged indifferently. “I’m not sure yet. I will be demanding a retraction, though.” He held the door for Harry and followed behind, walking over to the receptionist’s desk. 

“Can I help you?” she asked in a nasally voice that grated on the nerves. Harry was glad she didn’t work for him. He didn’t know how he’d be able to handle that. 

“We’d like to see the editor,” Draco told her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. 

“I’m sorry, but Mr. Cuffe isn’t seeing anyone today,” she told him, looking up at him over her glasses. 

Draco’s smile widened and his eyes became extremely cold. Harry thought he saw her shiver at the look. “Well, then I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear from my lawyer instead. Coming?” he asked Harry as he turned towards the door. 

They only made it to the door before she called out to them. “Wait!” she said urgently, standing up, and Draco turned with a raised eyebrow. 

“Was there something else you required?” he asked casually. Harry didn’t turn around but kept facing the outside, just so she couldn’t see him smile, impressed that Draco hadn’t lost any of his old flare. 

“Mr. Cuffe is coming down. Please have a seat,” she told them in a huff. She didn’t like being railroaded by anyone, but couldn’t say anything unless she wanted to lose her job. And they both knew it. 

They didn’t have long to wait. The man in question came bustling through a door, smile on his face. “Hello,” he murmured as he shook their hands before leading them through another door that, by the looks of it, was where meetings were held. “What can I help you with, sir?” 

“Mr. Cuffe, I’ll get right to the point of this visit. I want you to print a retraction to that obviously fabricated story on Harry Potter to be distributed this evening,” Draco told the old man, whose smile slipped slightly as he regarded the two men, not seeming to realize just who they were. “And I want the reporter responsible for its content placed in a position where he can no longer write such inaccuracies anymore.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. If I were to retract a story, people would lose faith in this paper. I assure you that what was printed was verified…” his voice trailed off as he saw Draco’s face harden. 

“I assure you that the facts were indeed _not_ verified. In fact, the reporter was warned that if he _did_ in fact print the story he had, that I would have him fired. Now, as I own over half the voting shares in your company, I’m prepared to not only fire the idiot, but to do a complete overhaul of this pathetic company.” 

Mr. Cuffe’s face went white then red. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you and your friend will leave this building immediately!” 

Draco took a step closer to the older man. “I,” he told him coldly, “am Draco Malfoy and my friend here is Harry Potter. So you’ll have to believe me when I tell you that the _facts_ have indeed _not_ been verified.” 

Mr. Cuffe went pale as he looked from one to the other, recognition lighting his eyes. “I-I’ll have the retraction printed for this evening, but people will want to know who she is. Otherwise the retraction won’t mean much.” 

“Well,” Draco murmured as he backed up a step or two. “This is what you’ll print…”

* * *

Draco looked over at Harry, a little worried. He’d been awfully quiet since they’d left the _Daily Prophet_ and it was starting to make Draco a little anxious. “You alright, Harry?” he asked after he’d given his cloak to Tammy, taking Harry’s from him. 

He shook his head. “Did you really have to announce our gathering like that? What’s to stop anyone from showing up?” he asked finally and Draco sighed in relief. He’d thought he’d done something wrong. 

“Easy. They have to show an invitation, which is the next thing on my to-do list. Alban!” Draco said as he waited for Harry to process the information. The house-elf Apparated between them, bowing respectfully to Draco. “You can bring the kids out now.” 

“Yes, Master.” 

A few minutes later they were covered in arms and shrill voices. Draco looked over to see Harry surrounded by his boys. Not far away stood a house-elf, carrying Lily who was struggling to get down. When the little creature let her down, he was surprised to see her walk over to Harry. Her balance wasn’t what it would be with practice, but she didn’t fall. 

Bending down, Harry picked her up when she got closer. “What a clever girl you are, Lily,” he murmured as he kissed her cheek. “Let’s go sit down in the living room and relax,” he told all of them, and Draco sighed happily as he and Rebecca followed the Potter family – his family, he realized. 

They’d just settled down side by side on the couch when a house-elf Apparated next to Harry. “Master Harry, the red-headed one wishes to come through. Should he be allowed?” 

Draco frowned and shrugged when Harry looked at him questioningly. “I had to reset the wards to keep unwanted company out. Everyone has to be rekeyed in. Allow Mr. Weasley to come through and escort him here, please,” he told the house-elf. 

In minutes, Ron walked into the living room with Arthur behind him. Automatically, the boys moved closer to Harry, and Draco knew Harry was saddened by it. It wasn’t natural for kids to fear their grandfather, but then the elder Weasley had brought it on himself. 

“Why don’t you three go play outside?” Harry asked as he rubbed the boys’ backs comfortingly. James looked at Harry, then shrugged and led Rebecca and Sirius out the French doors, leaving Lily with the adults. “Ron. Arthur. To what do we owe this visit?” 

“Good news,” Arthur said with a smile of relief. “According to the Healers, Molly’s recovering from whatever spell she’d been under and shouldn’t have any adverse effects.” 

Draco and Harry exchanged brief looks. They knew why the spell had lifted. Ginny was dead and spells usually didn’t survive the caster’s death. Of course there were exceptions to that rule, such as Hogwarts, the Manor and other older buildings that were steeped in magic and of course, Harry’s cloak. 

“What about Hermione?” Harry asked Ron, who was watching them, but didn’t say anything. 

Draco knew Ron would be asking Harry questions later, probably when they were alone. 

“Apparently when she hit her head, she was injured a lot more seriously than we thought. The Healers said she’s in a coma and don’t know when – if ever - she’ll wake up. They said they’d keep us in the loop,” Ron said with a shrug. 

Draco frowned as he realized what this meant. “Are the Aurors going to keep a guard on her? In case she _does_ wakes up?” 

“Yeah, for now, anyway.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean? Don’t they think she needs watching?” Harry asked in alarm and Draco knew he was thinking about all the problems she’d caused him these last few months. 

Ron shrugged helplessly. “It all depends on what the higher ups say. Right now, she’s being guarded. We’ll know more as time goes by.” 

Draco reached over and rubbed Harry’s back comfortingly, ignoring the look the other two men were giving him. Harry needed him and he was damned if company was going to stop him from giving it to his partner. 

“On another note,” Draco murmured before Harry could really get upset. “We’re having a gathering in a few nights to celebrate our marriage. Will you be attending?” He wanted to laugh at the looks on their faces. 

“Really?” Ron said, not knowing what else to say. Of course he knew about them being married, but he hadn’t thought they’d advertise it like this. Draco was just waiting for their reactions to begin. 

“Um,” Arthur murmured, clearing his throat. “I-I think so.” 

“We’ll see you at the party then, Harry,” Ron murmured as he led his father out of the room. 

“Well,” Draco murmured in amusement. “The party should be interesting.” He looked at Harry in concern when the other started laughing. 

“That should be an understatement,” he murmured, rubbing at his eyes. 

“Why don’t you go outside with the kids. Relax for a while. I’ll go over to Spinner’s End and see if Severus has those potions I need.” Harry looked at him in surprise but nodded in understanding. 

Leaning into him, Harry kissed him gently before heading outside, balancing Lily on his hip. “Don’t forget to tell them about the gathering in a few days.” 

With a shake of his head, Draco went into the Floo room. “Spinner’s End!” he called out, throwing a handful of powder down. The green flames enveloped him and in no time he was at Spinner’s End. He frowned when no one came to see who had arrived as he walked out of the fireplace, dusting himself off. 

Jarett suddenly appeared in front of him. “Master Draco,” he said, bowing respectfully. 

“Where’s Snape and Miranda?” he asked as he looked around. 

“Master Snape upstairs with Mistress,” he said, tugging on his ears in distress. 

“What’s wrong, Jarett?” he asked, as he knelt down so the house-elf didn’t have to look up so high. It was uncharacteristic of him, but felt this was the best approach before the creature decided he had to punish himself or something. 

He shook his head, eyes luminous with unshed tears. “Mistress not good. She huddled in corner, watching. Always watching. Eyes wild.” 

“Snape will help her. Are they in his room?” The little house-elf nodded so quickly his ears flopped back and forth. “Why don’t you bring up some tea?” he suggested as he rose to his feet. 

He walked around the house-elf before he could Apparate away and walked up the stairs. He could hear someone talking and figured it was Snape talking to Miranda. Carefully, he knocked lightly on the door, waiting for someone to open it, instead of just walking in, like he usually did. 

He heard someone curse as a scurrying noise came from inside. Snape answered the door with an impatiently growled, “What?” He blinked when he recognized Draco, sighed and looked back at Miranda. 

“How is she?” he asked as he noticed she was still crouched in the corner, eyes wary, watching them carefully. 

With another sigh, Snape moved out of the way and allowed Draco to come in, but stopped him from entering any further. “I don’t know what they did, but I think, in her mind, she’s trapped in that room. I have to figure out a way to get her calmed down enough to realize she’s not there anymore.” 

“Need some help?” Draco asked as he glanced over at Miranda. 

Snape shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what to do. Every time I reach for my wand to check her, she screams and cringes. I’d managed to get her a couple of feet away from the corner before you knocked.” 

Draco frowned and moved closer to him, speaking softly so she wouldn’t hear. “What if I Stunned her? I can pull out my wand while standing behind you. She’ll never know what hit her. Then you can do your scans. Once you’re done and have figured what they did to her, you’ll be better equipped to help her.” 

He could see that Snape didn’t like the idea, but it was the only real option they had, so he nodded once. While Snape was facing him, he pulled out his wand, making sure Miranda didn’t see it and hid it in his robes, making sure it wasn’t noticeable. 

Snape turned to look at Miranda, face betraying nothing as he watched Draco take a few steps closer to the frightened woman in the corner. At the last second, he pulled his wand out. “ _Stupefy_!” They watched as Miranda slumped down against the wall. 

Walking over to her, Snape picked her up and laid her on the bed. Tipping her head back slightly, he pulled out a phial of Dreamless Sleep out of his robes and poured it down her throat, being careful that she didn’t choke on the liquid. “She should sleep for a while,” he murmured tiredly, rubbing at his eyes. “Was there a point to your visit?” he asked, turning to look at Draco just as the tea setting appeared on the coffee table. 

Draco shook his head as he sat down on the couch. “Tea?” he asked, eyebrow raised in question. 

With another tired sigh, he joined Draco, nodding in answer. Without a word, Draco poured two cups of tea and handed one to him. They sat quietly drinking their tea for a few minutes, Draco watching his godfather discretely. He took in the slight changes in his face, the tired lines around the man’s eyes and mouth, and knew he needed some time without all the happenings around here. 

Now that Hermione had been caught and the threat neutralized, he would be able to live his life, just like Harry and Draco could. “I came over to get the potions you said you had,” Draco murmured after a few more minutes of silence, knowing that this would be as relaxed as Snape would be until he could do his scans and help Miranda. 

Snape nodded slightly. “I thought it might be that. I put them in the pouch on the table downstairs this morning. I intended to deliver them to you tonight, but that was before…” he said, waving a hand, gesturing towards the bed. “I read the paper this morning and wondered if you’d gotten that idiot reporter fired for the inaccuracies he had written.” 

“Actually, I didn’t, but I did tell Mr. Cuffe to put him into a position where he can’t report inaccuracies anymore. He was real happy to print a retraction for this evening. It’s also going to tell people who Miranda is to Harry now, and that he and I are married. We were also wondering if you two would be interested in joining us in a few days at a little celebration, just to make sure everyone knows that the article was indeed false, but I know it’ll depend on how things go here.” 

Snape looked over at the bed and sighed. “We’ll have to see. I’ll let you know if we’re not coming.” 

“Fair enough. I’ll send you an invitation anyway, since it’ll be the only way to get in. I’ll let you get to your scans and talk to you later.” Draco put down his cup and got up. When he passed Snape, he squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. Snape smiled slightly and nodded. Making his way downstairs, Draco saw the pouch Snape had mentioned and took it with him as he walked to the living room fireplace. 

* * *

Snape sighed and put his face in his hands as he contemplated how to go about helping Miranda. Getting up, he went over to the bed and began undressing her. He needed her cleaned up before he contacted Pomfrey. Once her clothes were off, he decided it would be simpler to just bathe her in the tub instead of using the bowl of water Jarett had left behind. 

Walking into the bathroom, he started the water before heading back into the bedroom. With a slight hesitation, he pulled his clothes off before picking her up. Since she would be unconscious for a while, he figured he might as well get clean at the same time. 

Inside the bathroom, he carried her into the tub, and, with a flick of his hand, shut off the water. Resting her against his chest, he proceeded to wash the blood off her chest and stomach, before washing her face. He winced and felt fury build inside of him when he saw the bruises forming on her face and ribs. If he’d had Crabbe in front of him, he wouldn’t hold much hope for his survival. 

Being careful with her, he made sure no reminder was left behind of her ordeal in that room. When he was done, he laid her down on some towels. Going back into the tub, he washed himself thoroughly before getting out and drying himself off. 

Picking her up again, he laid her back down on the bed, dressing her in the cloths he’d laid out for her. Then he walked into the closet and pulled some of his clothes on. Heading for the fireplace and threw some Floo powder into in, figuring he’d firecall Poppy and see if she could come over. “Hogwarts, hospital wing,” he called out before sticking his head into the flames. 

Madam Pomfrey looked at him in surprise. “Severus? To what do I owe this visit?” 

“I need your help, Poppy. Can you come over?” 

“Of course,” Pomfrey said as she jumped to her feet. It was a good thing that he never contacted her unless he absolutely necessary, otherwise she might ask questions before doing anything. 

Pulling his head out of the fire, he stood back to wait for her to step through. “What’s wrong, Severus?” she asked, looking around the room. Her gaze fell on Miranda and she gasped at the swelling on her face. 

“I need you to check her over. The way she’s been acting, it’s like she’s stuck in the room she was in earlier today,” Snape told her with a shrug after he’d explained what had happened a few short hours ago. “I don’t think I can be objective enough to help her.” Then a thought came to him and he realized this could work to his advantage. “I also need a complete history of every injury she’s ever had.” 

Pomfrey looked at him, curious. “Who is she, Severus?” 

“My wife.” He watched as shock suffused the Mediwitch’s face. If it hadn’t been so serious, he would’ve smirked, but he simply shook his head. “The subject is better left for another time,” he told her. 

“Right,” she murmured as she walked over to the bed and proceeded with her scans, growing pale at what she was seeing. “Oh, the poor dear,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. After a couple more scans, a paper appeared in front of her, detailing what had happened to her in that room along with the type of potion given to Miranda. “And she’s pregnant.” 

Snape looked up at her in surprise. “Pregnant?” 

Pomfrey nodded. “A couple of days, at least. According to the scans, it’s faint, but there.” 

She passed it to Snape before she turned back to Miranda and did a few more scans. 

Snape looked at the paper feeling numb. She was pregnant. And they’d raped her. He closed his eyes as he realized what this might do to her psychologically. He knew the child was his, just because she’d been pregnant before this happened, and according to the scans, there was no sperm in that area, but would she believe it? 

The stack of papers that appeared this time was a little thicker. Madam Pomfrey went through them, reading them carefully. “It seems the poor dear has been through this before, Severus, but worse than today.” 

She handed Snape the pages to read over. 

Snape nodded as he read them carefully, noticing the amount of broken bones she’d suffered, and all of them at least seven years old. This must be what she’d been talking about the other day. It was no wonder she’d reacted the way she had, if this is what she’d had to overcome. It also explained why she hadn’t given up when she was sick, or even today. 

She was a fighter. 

He was surprised when he reached the last page and it showed older injuries. Doing a quick calculation, he realized she would’ve been around eight or nine, assuming she was the same age as Harry, but remembering what Harry had said about a little girl, it would seemed she would be a year or two younger. 

Could this be what Harry’s uncle had done? He couldn’t see what a child could’ve done to merit to have her shoulder dislocated or the bones in the arm fractured. If this is what that disgusting Muggle had done to her for simply standing up for her friend, what had Harry suffered at the hands of his uncle? 

Shaking his head, he looked up at Pomfrey. “If you can do something about her injuries, I can make a counter to the hallucinatory potion in her system.” The Mediwitch nodded and Snape walked away to brew the potion he needed. It wasn’t one usually used, but it was fairly simple to do. 

* * *

Figuring he had time, Draco Apparated to France where he knew his parents were residing. He hesitated outside the house, looking around carefully. It didn’t seem like anything was wrong, at least not from here. 

Walking into the house, he paused in the entryway. No one came to greet him, not even the house-elves. 

Not a good sign. 

Walking quickly though the house, he could feel his heart beating faster as all he came across were empty rooms… except for the last room. 

The dining room looked like a hurricane had swept through it. Everywhere he looked, broken dishes were littering the floor. Following the trail of destruction, he hoped the Death Eaters were wrong. 

It didn’t take him long to find the body of his mother and he stopped, mind going blank. Stumbling closer, he realized that his father lay beside her, his hand in hers. He fell to his knees, unable to process the fact that his parents were indeed gone. 

Harry watched the kids play sedately close by and knew they worried that something else was going to happen. Unfortunately he didn’t know what to do to help them cope, except to let them heal. It seemed, though, that the only one not really affected was Lily, who played in her playpen beside the table. 

He took a sip of his tea and sighed tiredly. At least it was done. No more attacks… at least not from that type of enemy. Now all he had to do was wait for the evening release of the _Daily Prophet_. This should be interesting. Hopefully the information would be accurate this time. 

He began to wonder what was taking Draco so long. He’d been gone for a couple of hours. Surely it didn’t take _that_ long to talk to Miranda and Snape, he thought with a frown. That thought made him groan aloud and he put his head in his hands as a realization occurred to him. 

“What’s wrong?” Draco asked suddenly. 

Harry blinked up at him in surprise, seeing the sadness in Draco’s eyes. “What’s wrong?” 

“When I was searching for you and the others yesterday, I overheard some Death Eaters talking about killing my parents. I just came back from their home.” Harry looked at him in shock. Draco’s parents were _dead_? “I buried them there,” he whispered softly. 

“Oh, Draco, I’m so sorry,” he murmured as he reached out and squeezed his arm in comfort. 

Draco sighed and shrugged, not wanting to linger on it. “So, what were you frowning about, anyway?” he asked, changing the subject. 

“What? Oh, I was just thinking of Miranda and Snape,” he said by way of explanation. Draco’s eyebrows rose at the cryptic answer, shaking off his sadness for now. “I just realized that with Miranda being blood-related to me, it makes Snape my brother-in-law.” 

Draco tried not to laugh. “Figured that out, have you?” he asked in amusement and smiled when Harry threw him a dirty look. “I wondered how long it would take you to figure that one out.” 

“Shut up,” he muttered, earning a snigger from Draco. “It took you a long time to get the potions. Did he have to make them for you?” 

“Actually, I was only there for a little while. I was in the study writing the invitations to our party. I had one of the house-elves deliver them. Have you thought about what you’re going to wear?” 

Harry shrugged dismissively. “Whatever I have in the closet.” When Draco gave him a horrified look, he blinked in surprise. “What?” 

“ _We_ are going shopping,” Draco declared suddenly and Harry wasn’t sure if he should worry about the sudden gleam in his husband’s eyes when he said shopping. “Kids,” he called out as he pulled a surprised Harry to his feet. “Let’s go to Diagon Alley and get new clothes.” 

“Really?” Sirius and James said in unison. 

“Yes, if we’re going to have a gathering in a few days, we need to get you something suitable,” Draco said as he picked Lily up. “Shall we go shopping?” he asked the little girl, who giggled and hugged him tightly. 

“Shop!” she said, surprising everyone before they burst out laughing. 

* * *

When Severus came back a few hours later, Miranda had a bandage around her eyes. He blinked in surprise, pausing at the door. Looking over at Pomfrey who was fussing at the blankets around Miranda, he saw her shake her head. “Are you comfortable, dear?” she asked softly. 

“Yes.” 

Snape winced as her voice cracked, knowing he’d have to do something about that. Entering further into the room, he gestured the Mediwitch over. “This is what she needs to take,” he told her as he cast a heating charm over the tea on the table before pouring the potion into it and handed it over to the woman. 

“How long before it works?” Pomfrey asked as she took the cup from him. 

“A matter of minutes. Did you put the bandage over her eyes or did she?” 

“I did it before she woke up. I figured it would be better if she relied on her sense of hearing instead of her eyes. She’s been much calmer since I explained to her the reason behind its use,” Pomfrey murmured and sighed sadly as she walked over to the bed. “Here’s some tea, dear.” 

Miranda jumped a little when the Mediwitch spoke so close to her, but took the cup from her. Snape watched her for a few seconds before walking over to sit on the side of the bed, leaning back against the bed post. He sighed when she moved away from the unexpected weight. “Is that you, Severus?” she asked quietly. 

“Yes, just drink your tea.” He closed his eyes as he waited, unable to watch her anymore. How long before she stopped shrinking from everyone? From what he’d understood, she’d isolated herself from people for seven years. It would have to be different this time. He would not allow for her to hide herself away nor would he sleep anywhere but where she was. 

He waited until he heard Pomfrey take the cup from her before opening his eyes again to watch as the bandage was taken away. Miranda blinked at them, but at least she didn’t scream or cringe away from them. “Better, dear?” Pomfrey asked with a pleasant smile on her face. 

“Yes, thank you,” Miranda murmured with a hesitant smile. 

“Is there anything else needed to be done?” he asked Pomfrey with an eyebrow raised, letting her know he meant the healing. 

“No, everything was taken care of. If you need me, you know where to find me.” With another smile to Miranda, Pomfrey made her way to the fireplace and, in a flash of green flames, she was gone. 

Watching Miranda, he smiles slightly when her eyes widened slightly at the unexpected show. Her eyes flicked to his for a second before she crawled out from under the blanket and towards him. He was surprised when she moved his arm and curled up beside him. 

Silently, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her, relief flowing through him. At least she wasn’t shutting him out. “How are you feeling?” he asked softly, running his fingers through her hair. 

She shook her head and he realized she was quietly crying. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, inwardly cringing at the idea of putting her through more pain. He was relieved when she shook her head. 

“I think Jarett was there,” she murmured after a while. 

Snape was surprised. The house-elf had left the house without permission? “What do you mean?” 

“I felt a little hand against mine before a knife was pushed into it. I think it might have been Jarett.” She was quiet for a little while longer. He’d have to remember to ask the little creature if he’d been there, though it did explain the bowl of water and the rag. “Severus?” 

“Mm?” 

“I want to go home,” she whispered and he could feel her tense up, probably expecting anger. 

“You are home,” he murmured and he could almost feel the tension mount. 

“No, I want to go home, even if it’s just for a while.” 

He sighed as he rested his chin on top of her head. “Let’s wait a few days. If you still want to go visit, we can go, alright?” It took a while, but eventually she nodded. “Let’s go downstairs and have something to eat,” he told her. She nodded listlessly and followed him downstairs without a word. 

This was going to be a long night. 

* * *

A couple of days before the party, Harry decided to turn in early, after making sure the boys and Lily were settled in. He’d been surprised at the look of their rooms. 

James had a landscape of stars on his ceiling, which lit up in the dark and twinkled, just like real stars. The walls had been painted to resemble a forest and be-spelled to sound like he was really outside instead of inside. 

Sirius’ looked like a cave, with moss-like carpet. 

They’d been impressed. It had been funny when they’d entered Lily’s room to find that it looked like a huge doll house. She’d wriggled to get out of Harry’s arms and crawled over to the big teddy bear in the corner, where she’d collapsed on it with a giggle. 

Along with all their belongings and new clothes, his children seemed to have settled into the manor quite comfortably. 

He lay back on the bed with a tired sigh and wondered how long Draco would stay up. Should he wait for him or simply turn in? 

At least no one was going to try to kill him or his family anymore, especially since Hermione was out of the picture… so to speak. Most of her posse had been taken into custody, though some did escape the Aurors. Harry was sure they would leave him alone now. Voldemort was truly dead and couldn’t come back, for which he was grateful. That was one person he didn’t want to deal with ever again. 

Tomorrow, the house-elves would be busy getting things ready for the party and Harry hoped everything went off without a hitch. He really needed this to go smoothly. He was tired of all the action happening around him. 

Thankfully Mr. Cuffe had been true to his word. An evening edition to the _Daily Prophet_ had been delivered to the Manor after supper and surprisingly, it had read exactly as Draco had outlined it to the man. 

It told everyone that Miranda and he were, indeed, _not_ an item but brother and sister. It had also told all of the Wizarding world of his and Draco’s marriage and the party coming up that would include a few choice people and that the party was by invitation only… which probably meant a few reporters, and other people would be trying to crash the party, most of them just so they could brag that they’d been there. 

He couldn’t wait for everything to be over with. 

“I thought I’d find you in here,” he heard Draco murmur from the doorway. 

Looking over, he saw the blonde standing against the now closed door, smiling at him. “I wasn’t sure what you were going to do, but I thought I’d turn in early. I’m beat.” 

Draco’s eyebrow rose and he walked over to the bed. “Should I take the potions now? Or do you want to wait until after the party?” 

Harry laughed. “Considering how much trouble likes to follow us around, you might as well take it tonight, before something else happens,” Harry said as he sat up. 

Draco smirked knowingly at him before heading into the bathroom, where he’d put the potions. 

Getting up, Harry began pulling his clothes off, actually looking forward to doing this. At first he’d been a little worried… Okay, a lot. He’d been surprised at first to find out men could actually have babies, but as he’d thought about it, he’d been more and more excited about it. Of course the fact that Draco would be carrying the child and not him, as he’d imagined, had been a relief. 

He smirked to himself as he realized he was actually putting his clothes on the chair instead of the floor like he usually did. It had driven Ginny mad, having to pick up after him… which hadn’t been often. Harry had learned to pick up after himself, living with five other boys in the dorm… and living at the Dursleys’. 

Now there was a house he didn’t regret not having to visit again. 

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear Draco come up behind him until his arms went around his waist. “What are you thinking about that’s occupied your thoughts so much you don’t hear when called?” he murmured in Harry’s ear in amusement. 

Smiling, Harry let his head fall back against Draco’s shoulder. “Sorry, you wanted something?” 

“Well, I figured we could take a relaxing bath, since we have to make this last as long as possible.” 

Harry frowned, not understanding and realized he’d never been in Draco’s bathroom before. He wondered how it would differ from the one that had been in his room. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean,” Draco whispered seductively as he began walking backwards, pulling Harry back with him, licking the ear he was whispering in, “that we have to let the anticipation build up as long as possible. They say that the higher the sexual build up, the better the chances of conceiving. So let’s start with a bath and see what else we can do so as to get each other so horny we can’t think about anything but fucking each other.” 

Harry’s breathing hitched up and his eyes darkened in pleasure as Draco’s breath tickled his ear. “Sounds like this could take a while. What about the kids?” 

“The house-elves have instructions if we take too long. I’d anticipated you wanting to do this tonight.” He nipped lightly at Harry’s ear, smiling when Harry moaned in pleasure. “They’ll even make sure we have food so we can keep our strength… up.” His eyebrows waggled in suggestion before he let his head bend down a little to suck at Harry’s shoulder. 

He was amused when he saw Harry’s prick begin to stand at attention, almost like he’d touched it. He realized they were at the bathroom door and pulled away from Harry, who groaned at the loss, leading Harry inside. 

He looked back when Harry gasped in surprise and laughed slightly. There were candles everywhere, but when he looked back at Harry he realized he was looking at the tub. 

Harry would have called it a pool, really. It was big enough for twenty people, and they had it all to themselves. It reminded Harry of the Prefects’ bathroom at Hogwarts. 

Draco pulled on the hand still in his and Harry followed willingly. They stepped into the water, the bubbles tickling at their legs. “I could learn to like this,” Harry murmured with a slight smile as he looked at Draco. 

“Is that right?” Draco said in amusement as he walked to the deep end of the tub, which brought the water a little past his waist. “Why don’t you come over here, then?” 

The look in his eyes made Harry’s heart speed up a little as he followed, almost like he was in a trance, though he was more than willing. 

He waded over to where Draco stood and smiled mischievously. “So we have to last a long time?” he asked as he moved closer, making Draco back up playfully, feeling excitement flowing through his body, making his body stir with interest. 

He stopped when he felt the seat that had been built into the end of the tub and watched in anticipation as Harry came towards him, looking like a predatory cat stalking its prey. It was amazing the way it transformed Harry, made him seem more menacing in a way he’d never imagined. 

And it was turning him on. 

When Harry was close enough, he pulled Draco into his arms and kissed him teasingly. Draco growled in frustration when, for the third time, he tried to deepen the kiss, and, with a mischievous look, Harry pulled back enough for him to miss. “Hold still,” he growled as he pulled him closer. 

Harry laughed huskily, telling Draco he wasn’t unaffected by the teasing. “Can’t take it?” he asked teasingly as he moved his head so that Draco kissed his cheek instead of his lips. He laughed again when Draco growled again and Harry felt Draco’s length brush against his leg. He wasn’t even hard yet, though he was well on the way. 

“So explain how this is supposed to work. How many potions did you take?” Harry asked, peppering Draco’s face and neck with kisses. He wondered if one of the potions wasn’t the reason behind Draco’s sudden sensitivity. Not once in all the times since they’d become lovers had Draco ever responded to him this quickly. He also wondered if this was normal. He’d have to remember to ask Draco later, just in case. 

“I took one already. I have to take one more before you actually have me,” he murmured distractedly, eyes closing in pleasure. What Harry was doing was forcing him to concentrate on what he had to say. “Then another after we’ve finished.” 

“And where’s the next one you have to take?” Harry asked, before sucking on Draco’s neck. 

Draco gasped in pleasure, letting his head fall back to give him better access. It took him a few seconds to register the question. “Um, over by the sink. The blue one, then the black one.” 

Harry bit the skin above Draco’s collarbone, enjoying Draco’s moan of pleasure. So he had to make it build up as long as possible? He wondered when it would be enough. “Is the lube there, too?” 

“Mm,” Draco hummed in pleasure, eyes closed, enjoying the attack on his senses and wondering just how long he could last. 

“What about the other three?” he asked when he noticed the remaining phials on the counter. Draco frowned, too far gone to register the question. Sighing, he went back to his assault on Draco’s body, his fingers making their way down Draco’s chest, nimble fingers brushing against the sensitive nipples. Draco moaned at the touch, arching his back against the touch, wanting more. 

He gasped as Harry dipped down and lightly nipped at it before sucking on it. He pulled away and turned with Draco, ignoring the whimper when he did and backed up until he could sit on the ledge, pulling Draco with him. The water reached just below his nipples, but added to the heat he could feel building between them. 

Wordlessly and wandlessly, the blue bottle and the lube flew into Harry’s hand, one at a time. He placed them carefully on the side of the tub, far enough away to not be in the way and not be knocked into the water, but close enough that he could still reach them. 

“Put a leg on each side of me and sit on my lap,” he instructed as he pulled Draco back to him. He waited until the other was settled before he went back to teasing Draco’s mouth again. He wanted to laugh at the sigh of pleasure and relief that came from Draco, but didn’t think it would be appropriate. 

Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair trying to deepen the kiss. He whimpered again as Harry continued to lick and kiss him, his hand caressing along Harry's jaw. 

"Mmm," Harry sighed, finally letting his tongue out to meet with Draco's. He brought one hand up to settle on the back of Draco's head. Draco slid his lips over Harry's, sucking on his tongue as he did so. 

Harry moaned again and felt a shiver of pleasure surge through him, fumbling with the lube, cursing when the cap refused to come off at first. He reached behind the blonde and cupped Draco's arse and ran his fingers over the skin. Draco’s cock jumped in response to Harry's teasing hand. Harry slid his finger into the crack of Draco's arse and gently ran it in small circles around his entrance, moaning again, loving Draco’s reaction to the light touch. 

Draco was breathing fast through his nose, still sucking and licking at Harry's tongue and lips. He trembled at Harry's touch, gently pushing back against the teasing finger. 

Harry smiled as best he could with Draco devouring his mouth and pushed just a bit of his finger inside. Draco pushed past Harry's lips, licking and sucking still. He whimpered as Harry pushed in, loving the teasing but wanting more. Pushing further in slowly, Harry groaned at the heat, his eyes closing slightly as he felt Draco close around his finger. 

Soon he was adding another, pushing his fingers deeper inside, moving them slowly. He moaned and looked up at Draco's face again. He was so gorgeous and needy looking and Harry's cock hardened at the sight. 

He wondered if it was enough teasing, or if he should do more. Leaning forward, he licked at the closest nipple before sucking on it, listening to Draco pant and moan, and feeling himself become so hard it hurt. He didn’t know how long he could wait before he pushed into Draco, glad he’d bought that book the day they were in Diagon Alley without anyone noticing. 

Pushing a third finger in, Harry switched nipples as Draco arched up against him, mewling in pleasure. 

Fuck it, Harry thought as he pulled his fingers away from Draco’s entrance, ignoring the whimper of protest as he reached for the phial. “Drink,” he ordered, pulling the stopper out and holding it against Draco’s mouth. 

It was just to show how much Draco was lost in the world of pleasure that he opened his mouth so Harry could pour it in without protesting. He watched as Draco swallowed the liquid before he reached for the lube. 

Slicking himself – though he probably didn’t need it but didn’t want to chance hurting Draco – he looked up as Draco rubbed himself against him, like he was craving the contact of skin on skin, moaning his need for more. Harry lined himself up by feel and pushed up, pulling his head down for a kiss. Draco gasped and pushed down, helping him slide further in, crying out when the angle they were in allowed Harry to hit just the right spot. 

Harry groaned, even Draco threading his hands in his hair felt good, adding to his pleasure. He grabbed hold of Draco’s hips and pushing him up then down. Draco gasped, eyes closing as he helped, pushing himself up then down for the next thrust. Soon they were moving together, gasping and kissing, ignoring the water that slapped against them with their movements. 

Draco moaned, shuddering as the pressure inside him grew and moved faster, wanting Harry to fuck him harder. He spread his legs a little more and Harry growled in pleasure as he slid in deeper. 

Pushing on his hips, Harry thrust up harder, wanting to be as deep as he could as he felt himself getting closer to the end. Draco threw his head back, breaking their kiss, gasping as he rode Harry. 

It didn’t take long after that for Harry to cry out and grind up against Draco as he climaxed and was surprised when Draco did the same. He hadn’t even touched him. Both men stayed there, panting, neither one wanting to move. 

Finally, Harry looked over at the sink and called the black phial to him. Pulling the stopper out, he held it out to Draco. “Here,” he murmured breathlessly. “Drink.” 

Opening one eye, Draco managed to get his hand to work and downed the potion and closed his eye again. “Three more to go,” he panted, feeling absolutely boneless. 

They stayed like that for a few more minutes before Draco got up, wincing slightly as Harry slid out of him. “Time to wash up before round two,” he murmured playfully. 

Harry’s eyebrows rose. “Round two?” 

“Yeah,” he murmured as he reached behind Harry for the face clothes on the shelf above him, holding one out to him. “The next one I take before we have sex again, and the last one in the morning. It’s to guarantee a successful pregnancy. If you miss any steps, it won’t happen, and you have to wait a month before you can try again.” 

Harry frowned as he took the cloth from Draco. “For some of it, it seemed that every touch was making you… I don’t know, hornier. Is that normal?” 

He was surprised when he saw Draco blush. “Yeah,” he sighed, drawing out the word. “Some of the potions are designed to… stop the one getting pregnant from getting nervous and chickening out. The ones who designed the treatment figured that if you’re going to go to all the trouble of trying to get pregnant, they should give you every opportunity to go through with it. If you can’t think, then you don’t hesitate.” He shrugged indifferently. “I don’t see a problem with it.” 

Harry’s eyebrow rose at that. “You could’ve said something to me about it.” 

“I didn’t want you to think I didn’t want this. Does it matter?” Draco asked, turning his back to Harry, using the excuse of looking for the soap so he wouldn’t see the anger in his lover’s eyes. 

Sighing, Harry reached behind him, where he’d seen the soap earlier and walked up behind Draco, holding it out. He kissed the back of Draco’s neck before pulling him back against him. “No, it doesn’t matter, love. It just surprised me, is all. Want me to wash your back?” 

Draco smiled and nodded. He turned and kissed Harry, handing him the soap again. Life was definitely going to be fun around here with so many people around.


	30. The Party

Chapter 30 – The party

The next morning, Miranda woke up with an arm wrapped around her. She tensed up and her breathing sped up before she remembered she was safe in bed with Snape. With an effort, she forced her body to relax, hoping she hadn’t disturbed his sleep. 

She remembered him waking her up every time nightmares began to threaten her sleep. Every time, he’d held her until she fell back to sleep. She didn’t know how many times it had happened, but she could imagine he was more than likely tired. 

A movement at the end of the bed surprised her and she saw huge luminous eyes watching her from the side, long ears drooping as he watched her. “Jarett?” she whispered, not wanting to wake Snape up. 

His ears perked up a bit and hummed in happiness. “Mistress better?” he asked, giving her a slightly worried look. 

“Yes.” She smiled for his benefit because she found it wasn’t right for the little creature to think the way she was feeling was because of him. Funny that. She never would have thought about caring about a creature that until lately she hadn’t even know existed and now she wanted him to be happy. 

“Master Snape make Mistress feel even better soon,” he told her with a smile, tilting his head to the side to look at her, smiling confidently. 

She smiled at him and patted the bed in front of her so he’d climb up. He looked at her in surprise before climbing up, looking over at Snape in apprehension. “You remind me of another house-elf Harry wrote to me about,” she whispered as she took his hand in hers, marveling at how different it was from hers. “Dobby, I think he said his name was.” 

She looked up at him when he hummed happily. “Dobby be Jarett’s brother,” he told her proudly. 

“Really?” 

Jarett nodded, big ears flapping back and forth in a comical way, making Miranda laugh a little before she hissed as it jarred her sore ribs. Looking down as the hand in hers, Miranda frowned a little. “Tell me something,” she murmured, wondering if he’d actually answer her. “Were you in that room with me? Are you the one who gave me the knife?” 

He looked at her with a sad look before nodding. “Jarett not do much, but knife helped,” he told her softly, looking like he was going to cry. 

“Thank you, Jarett, for your help,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “If I gave you something better to wear, would you wear it?” 

He looked at her, considering what she was asking before he shook his head with a smile. “If Mistress gives Jarett clothes, Jarett be free. Jarett no want to be free. Jarett happy to belong to Mistress.” 

She moved her head a little, considering his answer. “What if it was like a rag, but better? Maybe something colorful, something I don’t want anymore?” 

“Jarett wear Mistress’s cast off,” he told her, smiling in understanding. He realized she didn’t want him in a rag, but didn’t want to give it to him to free him, just because he didn’t want to be freed. “Jarett bring Mistress and Master breakfast?” he asked hopefully. 

“Sure,” she murmured before he Apparated away. She sighed at the information she’d gotten from the little creature. It seemed he was happy to stay in servitude and didn’t want to be freed. What did it mean if he was freed? she wondered with a frown. 

Sliding out of bed, she walked quietly into the closet to pick out some clothes before heading into the bathroom. She decided to take advantage of the huge bathtub and started the water. She lost track of time while she soaked. By the time she had finished washing and drying herself, and walked out to the bedroom, she realized she’d been in there for quite a while. Snape was sitting on the couch waiting patiently for her to begin eating breakfast. 

“I was beginning to think you were going to hide in there for the rest of the day,” he drawled in amusement. 

Smiling slightly, she walked over and sat next to him, helping herself to the food. 

* * *

Draco was definitely feeling sore when he went downstairs for a late breakfast but he wouldn’t change what had happened the night before for anything. He wondered if, even now, their child was growing inside him and felt warmth spread through him at the possibility. 

He hadn’t told Harry about the odd occasion where the man taking the potions _didn’t_ get pregnant, since it didn’t happen often. He felt secure in the knowledge that their child was indeed growing inside him. 

It was a good thing he’d instructed the house-elves to take care of the kids. They were probably playing in their rooms since it was raining outside. He was confident that they’d been fed. 

He’d left Harry asleep and smiled softly. He probably should have explained what this entailed, but he didn’t like springing things like this on the poor man. 

Today he was going to have to get everything ready for the party. The house-elves should enjoy this, he thought as he walked into his study. “Tammy!” he called out as he sat down at his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. 

“Master?” Tammy asked, appearing in front of his desk. 

“Bring me a sandwich and some tea, please, and then come back. I’ll have a list of things that need to be done for tomorrow.” 

“Yes, Master,” Tammy said, bowing respectfully before vanishing. 

Frowning in thought, Draco jotted down a few things he knew that needed to be ready. 

* * *

Harry was drying himself off when he heard whispering in his room. Frowning, he walked quietly to the bathroom door and saw three heads peeking inside the room, probably looking for him. “I’m telling you, I saw your dad walking downstairs, so Dad should still be here,” James told the others as he pushed the door open a little more. 

Smiling playfully, Harry pulled back to pick up a pair of pants, dropping the towel into the hamper. 

Walking back to the bathroom door, he peeked into the room, wondering how far they’d come in. He was pleased to see that they’d entered all the way and were looking around the room. Moving fast and quietly, he snuck up to the nearest child and growled, picking Rebecca up at the same time. 

All three screamed. 

* * *

Draco heard the screams and took off running. Now what? Who’d managed to get into the Manor without him knowing about it? 

When he got upstairs, he paused for a second, listening. Another scream was heard and he realized it was coming from his room. He frowned wondering what had happened to Harry that the kids were screaming and he wasn’t going to their aid. 

When he got closer to his door, he could hear laughing and giggling coming from inside and just about collapsed in relief. He was going to kill Harry for scaring the shit out of him, he thought angrily. 

But when he got to the door, his eyebrows rose as he took in the sight. All three kids had managed to pin Harry down on the floor, though he still managed to reach out and tickle them one at a time, which resulted in the screaming he’d heard. 

He leaned against the doorjamb as he watched them and chuckled. Harry looked up when he heard it, grinning up at his husband. “Hey, look who decided to try and sneak up on me.” 

“And you decided to… what? Scare the crap out of me?” Draco asked with an eyebrow raised in amusement. He shook his head at the mischievous look Harry threw him. 

“It seemed like a good idea at the time. I didn’t expect to be deafened, though. This one,” he said as he reached out and tickled Rebecca, who giggled and jumped on his stomach, driving the air out of Harry. Draco laughed at them. “Has a good set of lungs,” he finished when he could breathe again. 

“We got him good, Father,” she said proudly, head held high. “It took all three of us, but we managed to pull him down.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Harry growled playfully and easily came off the floor, holding Rebecca, who looked surprised that he’d been able to move at all. “Ah ha! Got you!” Pulling her closer, he blew against her neck. 

She squealed in surprise and laughed. 

With a contended sigh, Harry put her down and kissed her cheek. “Now get out of here, you rascals,” he mock-growled and made to chase them out of the room. Screaming and laughing, the kids ran out of the room. 

Draco winced at the volume and looked at Harry in amusement. “How did they come to dog pile you on the floor?” 

“Ah,” Harry murmured as he walked over to the closet. “Well, when I grabbed Rebecca, the boys decided it would be an excellent time to attack. It’s a good thing I had a good grip on her, otherwise she might have got hurt. As it was, I managed to curl her up against me when I fell, which is also how she came to sit on me like she was.” 

Draco laughed and shook his head. “I’m sorry I missed it. Is it safe for me to go back downstairs without having another heart attack?” he asked, straightening up. 

Harry laughed and came back pulling a shirt over his head. “Yeah, especially since I’m coming down too. I’m starving!” 

Draco rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you worked up an appetite last night,” he drawled as he headed out the door and down the hall, followed by Harry’s laughter. He needed to talk to Snape about watching the kids while they ran an errand. 

* * *

“We need to go to the solicitor today,” Draco said as they sat in the dining room for lunch. The kids watched them in surprise, probably wondering if they had to go with them. “Severus has agreed to watch the kids. He figures it’ll do Miranda some good.” 

“How is she?” Harry asked, frowning as he realized he hadn’t thought about her since they got home yesterday. 

“Better than yesterday. It’s going to take time. He didn’t go into any details about what happened, but she’s healing.” 

“Can we go visit with Miranda, Dad?” Sirius asked, looking at Harry with a hopeful look on his face. 

“Yeah,” Harry said with a smile. “After lunch.” He was surprised when the boys just about inhaled their lunch in their eagerness to go visit. He looked over at Draco in amusement as they waited impatiently for them to finish. 

* * *

Snape spent the afternoon going over spells taught to the first and second years with Miranda. He was surprised when she picked it up quickly, using her wand like she’d always had it. An hour before lunch found Miranda outside, meditating. Snape could tell she was still frustrated with the feel of the garden, but had no idea what to do to improve it besides the plants he’d had the house-elves plant while they were gone yesterday. 

A house-elf appeared beside him. “Yes, Timzy. What is it?” 

“Master Malfoy wishes to speak with you in the fireplace,” Timzy said with a respectful bow. 

Snape nodded and whirled around, heading for the living room. “Draco?” he asked, hoping there wasn’t another emergency. He didn’t know if he could handle another crisis. 

“I was wondering if you and Miranda would mind watching the children this afternoon while we go to the Solicitor to get some paperwork done.” 

Snape frowned at the thought of having children - _loud_ children – running around his home. He was about to tell him no when he realized this might be just what Miranda needed as a distraction from her thoughts. “Send them through when you’re ready,” he told him, registering the brief look of surprise on Draco’s face. 

“Thanks, Severus,” he murmured hesitantly. “How is she?” 

“Better than yesterday. I’ve been trying to keep her occupied,” he said with a shrug. “She’s healed, but the impact on her psyche will take time.” 

Draco nodded and left. Snape sighed and went back to the kitchen. He would keep their visit a secret until they came through, perhaps the surprise would help lift her spirits. She hadn’t asked to go back since last night, but he could tell it was something she wanted. Maybe after the party they could take the time to go visit her family. 

Sure enough, when the kids came through with Harry and Draco, Miranda perked up, greeting the boys with enthusiasm. He nodded to Draco and Harry as they deposited Lily on the floor so she could go over to Miranda, too. They laughed as she shrieked in anger when the boys wouldn’t let her through. 

“That one’s not going to be afraid to tell you what she thinks when she’s older,” Draco murmured, looking over at Harry with a raised eyebrow. 

“No kidding. I want you guys to be good,” Harry told them, including Rebecca in the statement as he reached over and tweaked her nose playfully. 

“We will,” she promised. The boys called out a careless goodbye as they dragged Miranda outside. “You’d think they hadn’t seen her in months instead of a couple of days,” she muttered with an exasperated sigh, but she followed them outside. 

Snape looked up at Draco with an eyebrow raised in silent question, lips twitching suspiciously. “It’s a good think you brought kids with you, Potter. I feared she might have grown too old for her time otherwise,” he drawled in amusement. 

Harry shook his head and both men laughed as he led Draco back to the living room. 

* * *

Draco and Harry stood outside a building Draco had been assured held the best solicitor in the Wizarding world. Walking into the building they walked to the counter where a receptionist sat. 

“Ah, Mr. Potter!” someone called out from behind him. “Back again?” 

Harry looked at the man coming towards them in confusion. “Again?” 

“Well, maybe not again, but your wife said you’d sent her on your behalf,” the man said with a pleasant smile. 

They watched him, hoping he’d clarify what he was talking about, though Draco had some idea. “When did Mrs. Potter come in?” 

“Oh, about six or seven months ago, I think,” the man said with a frown. “Didn’t she give you the file I gave her?” 

“Sir, until now I didn’t even know my ex-wife had come here. Do you have a copy of the file you gave her?” Harry asked politely. 

They saw the man’s face color as Harry corrected him. “Yes, of course. If you’ll come with me, I’ll see what I can do.” 

He led them to his office and excused himself for a few minutes. The name on the door said Samuel Robbard. “I wonder what information Ginny got.” 

“I don’t know but it would’ve been right after you kicked her out of the house. Maybe she wanted to see just what she could take you for when it got to the divorce,” Draco said with a shrug. 

“Here we are,” Mr. Robbard said as he entered his office. “I’ve made you a copy of my findings.” He handed the file to Harry before he sat down at his desk. 

Opening it up, Harry looked through it, handing some of the pages to Draco. He paused when he reached one in particular. “Draco,” he murmured as he held out the paper for him to look at. 

Draco’s eyebrows rose as he looked at what Harry was holding out. 

The manor plans? 

Taking it from Harry, he read the papers through. “The Potters had a manor?” he asked Mr. Robbard. 

“Oh, yes. Mrs. Potter was very interested in those,” he said with a pleased smile. 

“And where exactly is it located?” he asked with an eyebrow raised, even though the man had really been talking to Harry. 

Mr. Robbard’s smile faltered as he looked from one man to the other. “It should say where it’s located on the first page,” he said, a little perplexed. 

Flipping to the beginning again, Draco saw that it was, indeed, listed. “Apparently, it’s on a small island just north of North Berwick,” Draco said aloud, frowning. “I assume it’s under a Concealment Charm?” 

“Yes. You have the manor and a few out buildings for horses if you want them. I was told that there’s also a small Quidditch pitch.” 

Draco handed the papers to Harry again. “Could you do another check to see if Ginny Potter sold any of these properties or businesses?” 

“Sure,” Mr. Robbard said with a shrug. He obviously didn’t see any problem with checking on the paperwork in their hands. “I can have the information for you by this afternoon.” 

“That soon?” Harry asked in surprise. 

“It’s just a matter of going over what I found out before. This’ll be faster than starting from scratch,” Mr. Robbard assured him. 

“Alright, then. You can send whatever information you find out to Malfoy Manor.” Mr. Robbard stood and shook their hands. 

They were just about to leave the building when someone else stopped them. “Mr. Potter?” 

“Yes?” he asked, turning to look at the woman coming his way. 

“My name’s Catherine Swan. I’ve been commissioned by your ex-wife,” she said as she shook his hand. 

“Commissioned?” he asked, confused. “You realize that Ginny is dead, right?” 

“Yes, Mr. Potter. I was informed not long after it happened. She had been in contact with me since before your divorce.” 

Harry’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “What can I help you with?” he asked hesitantly. Anything to do with Ginny he’d learned to take with some caution. 

“Before her demise, Mrs. Potter had spoken to me about changing her will to reflect the divorce, but since she never came back to redo it, the one she had before is still in effect,” she said as she led them over to a sitting area beside the door. “Please, sit.” 

Harry looked over at Draco and saw that even he was surprised to hear that Ginny had wanted to change her will. But then with her being in Azkaban and then on the run for at least a day, he wasn’t really surprised that her will hadn’t been changed. “So, what did her will say?” 

“It appears that everything she possessed now belongs to you, especially since she hadn’t updated it since just after your wedding, and means quite a considerable amount of money is now yours,” she said as she held out a key to him. 

Harry frowned as he took it from her. Where would Ginny have got money? She hadn’t been working… He looked at Draco as it dawned on him. She’d either sold some of his properties or siphoned some of his money into a secondary account without him knowing it. Draco shook his head slightly, face an unreadable mask. 

He’d have to wait until he got the report from Mr. Robbard before he could see where the money had come from. “Thank you, Miss. Swan. Was there anything else?” 

“All I need is your signature on this to say you received what your wife left for you,” she said, holding out a piece of paper to him. Harry took the time to read it before he signed it. He didn’t want this to come back and bite him later if it turned out to be a ploy, though he didn’t think it was. 

“Let’s go home,” he murmured to Draco as he leaned close to him. 

Once at the house, Harry cursed. “It’s a good thing we went to the solicitor’s today. I might never have known about her activities,” he said as he started to pace. 

“Relax,” Draco murmured as he stopped him, pulling him close. “At least she didn’t get away with it. Once things have settled down, we can take the kids and go check out Potter Manor. Maybe Snape and Miranda can join us.” 

Harry relaxed against him and closed his eyes, sighing as he let the tension leave his body. He was right, Harry realized. Ginny hadn’t gotten away with it, so there was no use in getting worked up over it. “Should we get the kids or let them visit longer?” 

“Let them visit for a while,” Draco murmured as he nuzzled Harry’s neck, smiling when he heard a gasp of pleasure. _Oh yes_ , he thought to himself. _Let them visit with Miranda for a while longer_. 

* * *

Later that night, Snape was surprised at how relaxed and calm Miranda seemed to be. It seemed the kids’ visit had helped more than he could’ve hoped. “Miranda, we need to talk,” he murmured softly as they lay on their bed. 

“About?” she asked, tensing slightly and he guessed she though he meant to talk about what she’d been through, but he didn’t have to. He’d spoken to Jarett, who’d told him everything she’d been through, down to the fact that he’d been the one to give her the knife to protect herself with. He couldn’t fault the house-elf for not showing himself sooner. He’d save her, in a way. He’d protected their unborn child, at least. 

“Something I found out yesterday,” he told her gently. She went to sit up, but he kept his arms firmly around her, not wanting to let her go just yet. 

“And what’s that?” 

“You’re expecting our child,” he told her, laying a hand on her abdomen where he knew their child was. He felt her body tense up even more and she shook her head in denial. “According to what I know, you were pregnant before everything happened. If I were to hazard a guess, it would’ve occurred during our bonding.” 

“Ho-how can you be sure?” she asked, voice thick and he realized she was crying. 

“The scans never lie, Miranda. This child is not a result of what happened yesterday, I promise you,” he whispered in her ear, holding her tighter, wanting her to believe him. “I’ll even show you the results in the morning if you want.” He felt her body shaking and laid a gentle kiss on the side of her head, wishing he could change her mind, but he knew only time could do that. 

She nodded jerkily in answer and he simply held her comfortingly. 

* * *

The next day, after showing her the test results, he introduced her to potion making. Though she struggled at first, she didn’t give up on trying to get what he was teaching her. 

An hour before the party, he called a halt to the lesson and told her to go take a shower. With a sigh, she went without protest, making him smile slightly. She’d pushed herself hard today, like she wanted to prove to herself that she could learn this despite not understanding what she was doing. 

“Jarett,” he called out when he was sure she was out of earshot. 

“Master?” Jarett asked, bowing slightly, looking at him in surprise. “Is it time?” 

Snape nodded slightly. “You know what to do.” With a nod of his own, Jarett Apparated away. He waited until he was sure she was done with her shower and dressed, cleaning up his lab to pass the time, before he headed up the stairs to see if she’d actually put the dress Jarett had picked out for her to wear for the party. 

She was glaring at the doorway, where she was waiting for him to come through. “Alright, what the hell is going on?” she demanded. 

He stared, blinking at the way she looked, surprised that she’d actually sat there while Jarett had played with her hair. Wow. There were small crystals and ribbons weaved through her locks in stunning patterns. “Harry and Draco have invited us over tonight,” he said after a few minutes as he headed towards the bathroom to take his own shower. 

“And that warrants getting all dressed up?” she demanded with an eyebrow raised. Ignoring her, he quickly stripped and took a shower. He smiled when she followed him into the bathroom when he didn’t answer her. “What’s going on, Severus?” 

“They’re announcing to the Wizarding world that they’re married while telling everyone that you and Harry aren’t together. They need us to make an appearance to put the rumors to rest,” he told her as he washed his hair. 

When he was done, he was surprised to see her still standing there with an eyebrow raised and her arms crossed over her chest. “And were you planning on telling me this at all?” she asked angrily. 

“Yes, as soon as we were ready to go. I didn’t want you to worry about what would happen tonight. I figured you’d been through enough lately, that you didn’t deserve to worry. Like I said, we don’t need to stay long, about an hour. Just long enough to prove to everyone that you’re not with Harry.” 

He passed by her and headed for the closet to get dressed. When he came out, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly ahead. “I don’t think I can do this,” she whispered. 

He went and stood in front of her. “You can. I’ll be there with you. You don’t have to worry about anything.” He smiled encouragingly before he pulled her into his arms for a comforting hug. “Come. They’ll be wondering what happened,” he told her as he led her downstairs. 

* * *

Harry was nervously tugging at his dress robes for the third time in a half hour. He hated wearing formal clothes. “If you don’t stop that, you’re going to ruin your clothes,” Draco teased as he watched Harry. People should be arriving any second. 

Harry sighed and put his hands in his pockets so he would leave the clothes alone. “We don’t have to go to too many of these parties after this, do we?” 

“No,” Draco murmured as he came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I don’t think the boys like formal clothes any more than you do.” He gestured to where the boys were sitting, looking miserable and bored. 

Since it was still raining outside, he couldn’t distract them with playing out there. 

“It’s alright, a half hour after everyone gets here, they can go back upstairs and change. They’ll have more fun then,” he said, resting his chin on Harry’s shoulder. 

“I can’t wait for people to get here,” Harry muttered, resisting the urge to tug on his clothes again. True to his word, Mr. Robbard had sent his report an hour before supper. They’d pored over it in Draco’s study. He hadn’t been surprised to see that three of his properties had been sold, but since he couldn’t do anything about it, he’d just shrugged it off. And since the vault Ginny had left had been included in the report, especially since it was now his, she at least hadn’t stiffed him too much on the sales. 

He figured he’d leave it in the vault and divide it between the boys and Lily, since she had been their mother. He’d sent a note to the man to see it was done and had received a note back telling him it would indeed be done. 

He was brought out of his thoughts when the Weasley clan came traipsing into the room. Harry watched the boys’ reaction, hoping they wouldn’t overreact like the other day. They were going to have to get used to them coming around, especially since Molly was better and back at home. 

Sure enough, the boys jumped to their feet and ran over to Harry and Draco, hiding behind them. Sighing sadly, Harry bent down and pulled them closer. “Do you remember the talk we had earlier?” he asked them. He waited for them to nod. He’d already explained why Molly had acted the way she had, though he hadn’t told them that Ginny had been the reason behind it. 

“Grandma was under a spell that made her act crazy,” James said, frowning at the look on the Weasleys faces. 

“But now she’s better. You guys have to get used to them again. Don’t worry. No one can take you out of here unless we allow it. Can you guys be brave enough to give them another chance?” he asked, watching them carefully. 

Sirius was frowning as he thought it through. “I guess,” the little boy said and leaned closer. “If I get scared again, can I come find you?” he whispered in Harry’s ear. 

Harry smiled gently down at him and hugged him close. “Anytime,” he whispered back. “Now go say hi to them.” 

Standing up, he watched as the boys moved closer and wondered how long it would take for them to trust again. Apparently not long. They even introduced Rebecca to them. 

It seemed that was the signal for everyone to arrive for the party. 

Draco had been right, Harry realized, as the night wore on. There had been some people who tried to crash the party, including a couple of reporters. The kids had gone up a half hour after everyone had arrived. 

At least now they felt more comfortable around Arthur and Molly. It would take longer for them to trust enough to want to stay over for the night without Harry or Draco there, but at least it was progress. 

* * *

When Severus and Miranda Flooed over to Malfoy Manor, there were already so many people there that it took everything to stop her from trying to Floo back. Holding her arms he looked down at her in warning. “An hour, Miranda. We need to make sure people won’t talk about this again.” 

She didn’t look at him as she bit her lip to keep from saying anything but she nodded in defeat. He led her into the living room and kept between her and the bulk of the guests, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate the press of people trying to get close to her. His glares managed to stop the most diehard guests from getting too close. 

The hour seemed to drag by, but when it finally came, he could see she was pale and sweat had broken out on her forehead. He took her over to where Draco stood so they could say their goodbyes before they left. 

“Thanks for coming,” Draco murmured, frowning in concern at the state Miranda was in, but when he looked up at Snape, he shook his head slightly and Draco refrained from asking any question. “Can you come over in a few of days?” he asked them. 

“Of course,” Snape murmured before leading Miranda away. 

When they got home, Miranda bolted for the nearest bathroom to throw up. He waited patiently for her to finish before laying a cold cloth on the back of her neck, ignoring the fact that she was shaking. “It’s alright,” he murmured softly, hoping it was simply nerves making her sick. “It’s over now.” 

Picking her up, he carried her upstairs. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed her so soon, but she needed to get used to being around people again. She couldn’t hide like she’d obviously done before. In that instant, he decided to take her to visit with her relatives, if only to give her some familiarity. 

He gave her a Calming Draught before helping her take the dress off, not even minding when she put on a pair of his pajama bottoms with one of her shirts. The crystals and ribbons were the next thing he tackled. Pulling them gently out of her hair, he put them down on the bedside table. “Feeling better?” he asked softly as he ran his fingers through her hair, messaging her scalp. 

“A little,” she murmured, closing her eyes with a sigh as she relaxed, letting his fingers do their magic. 

He smiled as he let his fingers move their way down towards her neck, messaging the tense muscles there. “Lay face down,” he told her gently as he got up off the bed to take his outer robes off. “Without your shirt.” 

She looked at him in curiosity, and a little fear, but did as he asked and lay down on her stomach. 

Reaching into the bedside table, he pulled out a bottle of massage oil. Pouring a little into one hand he rubbed them together before he touched her back. He felt her shiver and tense up, but ignored the hurt he felt. This was for her. If she didn’t get comfortable around him again, he didn’t know if she ever would, and that he couldn’t allow. There was no way he would stay away from his wife indefinitely. He would give her time, but that was it. 

He was thrilled when she relaxed under his hands, probably realizing he wasn’t going to force her to do something she didn’t want to do. “Tomorrow,” he said softly as worked his way down her back, feeling the muscles un-tense under his touch. “We can go visit your family. I have to be back in a few days, but I can’t see why you can’t show me around your reserve.” 

She turned to look at him, looking to see if he was serious. “Are you sure?” 

He felt his eyebrow rise at the question. When had he ever said something he wasn’t sure of? “Of course.”

“Thank you,” she whispered as she laid her head back down on her pillow. 

“In three weeks, school will be starting and we won’t really have time to do much more. I think now would be the best time. Afterwards, I need to continue your training. We’ll need to stop in Diagon Alley to pick up some more books and supplies, and I expect you to actually learn what I teach you.” 

He saw her eyes roll, but he also felt her tense up at the mention of Diagon Alley. 

“It’ll be different this time, Miranda,” he promised softly as he leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck, smiling when she didn’t tense up at the touch. “There won’t be anyone trying to capture us.” 

“Alright,” she whispered after a few minutes. 

He wanted to take things further but wasn’t sure if she was ready for it just yet or not. He would wait a while longer. Maybe she’d make the first move…

* * *

Harry had been surprised to see Snape and Miranda there, though he’d seen the sweat on Miranda’s forehead and she stuck close to older man. They hadn’t stayed long, just long enough for the rumors to die. Their guests had realized that the _Prophet_ had indeed lied about Harry and Miranda being an item. 

When the night ended, Harry was confident that the rumors had been laid to rest… at least these ones. There would be more. 

There usually were. 

* * *

The next morning, Miranda was waiting patiently outside for Snape to say he was ready to go. Looking at the backyard, she smiles softly as she looked at the little pond the house-elves had put in, which included a waterfall. Flowers and shrubs had been placed around it. 

She had to admit that the feel of the yard was better than what it had been before, but it wasn’t what it should’ve been. It would take time for it to wake up from the forced hibernation placed on it. She wondered if it had ever been used before now. 

“Are we ready to go?” Snape asked from behind her. 

“I was just waiting for you,” she told him and noticed Jarett standing behind him. He was wearing one of her old shirts tied at the shoulders and bottom to keep it in place. She wanted to laugh, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “Are you coming too?” 

Snape looked down at the house-elf and grimaced in irritation. “I figured from your reaction when you first saw him, that you have no such things as house-elves. We would need someone to cook our meals and clean up.” 

Miranda’s eyebrow rose and her eyes dance with amusement. “You mean he asked to come and you didn’t have the heart to tell him no,” she murmured knowingly, smiling slightly. At the look of disgust he threw at the house-elf, Miranda laughed. “Come on.” 

She led the way to where she wanted to build the portal and closed her eyes in concentration. She could feel Snape’s eyes on her but she ignored it as she began to chant the words that would gather the water into a bubble and link it to the pool behind her house. 

When she opened her eyes, she blinked as her world tilted slightly. She felt his hand on her hip as he pulled her towards him. “Are you alright?” She could hear the concern in his voice. 

She frowned as she realized she’d weaved a little, unsure what was happening. _Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant_? She couldn’t see why that would affect the chant. Maybe the change had done more than she’d expected? No, she’d done the chant at Malfoy Manor and hadn’t had this problem... 

Then it hit her. It had drawn more energy because the garden wasn’t quite ‘awake’. She should’ve realized that sooner. 

“I’ll be alright,” she murmured with a reassuring smile. “It just took more out of me than I expected. Let’s go through.” 

She saw the look of concern he gave her but he didn’t comment as he nodded slightly. She led them through the portal before closing it. She smiled as she watched a Pegasus canter over. _So_ , he said as he came to a halt beside her. _You’ve come back… but not to stay, I think._ She watched as he stretched his nose out to sniff warily at Snape. _You smell of plants_. 

Severus’ only reaction was a raised eyebrow. 

Miranda laughed and rubbed the Nicademus’ forehead. “It’s nice to see you too, Nicademus, but do try to be nice. And you’re right. We’re only here for a few days.” 

Nicademus whinnied in amusement as he trotted away from them and Miranda led them towards her house. There weren’t many houses inside the main part of the reserve, but there were more interspersed in the surrounding forest and hills. Long Feather usually stayed with Grandfather when he had work to do in the small village but stayed further out with his wife and three kids. 

She watched Severus’ reaction when she led him into her small, one story, three bedroom house. 

“This is yours?” Severus asked, surprised at how spacious it was for the size. She looked around the house she’d called home for the last few years and nodded. There wasn’t much inside, really. 

She hadn’t seen the need to fill it since she spent most of her time outside with the animals. She’d managed to hang a few things on the walls, however. In one corner was an eagle nest that had been blown out of a tree her first winter on the reserve. Hanging off a branch she’d place on top of the fridge was an abandoned hornet nest. There were a few knickknacks she’d brought with her from the city when she’d moved here. 

There were a few photos placed here and there but that was pretty much it. 

There were still signs that the kids had lived with her, but that was only because she hadn’t been back to clean her house since they’d left… it felt like a lifetime ago, she realized when she thought about it. 

“This has been my home since I left the city,” she murmured softly. “It’s not much, but then I don’t need much. Jarret, you can put our things in the first bedroom,” she instructed the house-elf, gesturing towards the first door off the living room. “I’ll show you around the reserve if you like.” 

Severus nodded, giving the house one last look, hand on her hip, before leading her back outside to stand on the deck. “Somehow, I thought your house would be bigger than this.” 

“Why?” she asked in amusement as she nodded to some of the people she knew. “Because everyone in North America like to live in big houses?” 

“I was under the impression that people in the old colonies like to live in bigger and better homes, yes,” Severus murmured, looking down at her as Jarret puttered around the house, getting it in order. 

Miranda laughed and shook her head. “Better not let anyone hear you say that,” she teased before she sighed. “In here, we’re limited with space so smaller is usually better.” 

“What are we doing now?” he asked her, seeming unsure of what he was supposed to do. 

“Come on,” she murmured as she led him off the deck and down the nearest path. “I’ll show you around the reserve and later I’ll take you to town.” 

They spent the next few hours exploring the area, Miranda pointing things out to him as they went. After lunch, she took him around in one of the side-by-sides they had, showing him the surrounding countryside. 

She took it easy on him, keeping the ride fairly tame when she noticed the death grip he had on the dashboard. It didn’t take her long to realize that he was out of his depth in her world… about as much as she was in his. 

To give him time to recover his equilibrium, she stopped over at Long Feather’s home to visit with her sister-in-law and her kids. They stayed for tea and talked for a while until she figured Severus had recovered enough to visit the town. 

Since the reserve wasn’t far, she decided to drive there in the side-by-side, sticking to the grated road as much as possible. It took longer than cross-roading did, but she wasn’t sure how Severus would take the rough road. 

“Come on,” she murmured as she took the key out of the machine, gesturing for him to follow her. She showed him around town, going down to the lake so he could take in the view before they began to make their way back. “What do you think so far?” 

“Is this the only mode of travel you have here?” he asked, frowning slightly. 

“No, we also have trucks but we don’t really use them unless we’re doing a long distance,” she told him with a shrug. “The people here are used to us coming and going like this.” 

“And they don’t ask questions?” he asked as he pulled her closer when they passed a group of people walking towards them. 

“Not to me.” They walked together silently for a few minutes before she sighed. “I think most of them already know what we do in the reserve. Most came from there anyway. Those that don’t know about what we do just think we’re eccentrics trying to live off the grid.” At his confused look, she frowned, trying to think of another way of describing what she meant. “They think we’ve shunned all the modern comforts, like electricity, electronics, things like that.” 

“Ah,” he murmured in understanding. “And no one questions what you’re doing out there?” 

“We’re careful that what we take care of doesn’t get out and disturb the people of the town and they field the curious away from us. It’s an even trade.” 

“Miranda?” they heard as Severus opened his mouth to ask another question. 

She stiffened as she recognized the voice. No! It couldn’t be! Turning around, she felt as if her knees would give way as she saw the man grinning at her, the look making her skin crawl. “Neil,” she whispered, feeling Severus’ arm come around her, steadying her. 

“I thought it was you,” he laughed in delight, an underlying look of anger and hatred in his eyes as he took in the way Severus held her. “Fancy meeting you here.” 

She forced a smile to her face, refusing to move out of her husband’s arms. She would not allow Neil to do that to her. He had no right. “Same. What brings you here?” 

“Well, you, actually.” 

From the look he kept giving Severus, Miranda knew Neil wanted to know what was going on between them and decided to nip his possessive attitude in the bud. “Sorry,” she apologized as she smiled up at Severus. “Where are my manners. Severus, this is Neil. Neil, this is my husband, Severus.” 

The slight tightening of Neil’s mouth told her he wasn’t happy with this information. Did he seriously think they would’ve gotten back together? After what he’d done to her, she highly doubted she would’ve gone back to him even if she wasn’t married. 

She saw the look of understanding come to Severus’ eyes as she introduced them, though he shook her ex-boyfriend’s hand with a slight smile. “What do you do, Severus?” 

“I’m a Headmaster,” Severus told him honestly. 

“A what?” Neil asked in confusion. 

“A principle,” Miranda explained. 

Just then, a couple cut between them, stopping when they recognized her. “Miranda!” the man exclaimed happily, throwing his arms around her. 

She laughed in return, hugging him back. “Johnathan! How have you and Roxanne been?” 

“Oh, same as usual,” the woman said as Johnathan moved back so she could do the same thing. “Jimmy and Anna are driving him crazy. Who’s this?” 

“This is Severus,” she introduced, taking Severus’ hand, ignoring Neil for the moment. “My husband.” 

“Husband?” Roxanne exclaimed in surprise as she looked up at Severus. “When did this come about?” 

“It was quite sudden, actually,” Severus murmured and Miranda watched as her friend’s eyes widened in surprise at his accent. 

“Wow, Miranda,” she murmured, draping an arm across Miranda’s shoulders. “When did you meet a British man?” 

“I met him when I went to England to look for Harry,” she explained, watching out of the corner of her eye as Neil slinked off to the other side of the street, watching them intently. 

“Really?” Roxanne said as she looked Severus up and down. 

“We’ll have to get together and talk some more,” Johnathan said as he pulled his wife away from Miranda with a sly wink. “Give you a call later this afternoon.” 

“Alright.” 

“I think it’s time to head back,” he murmured to her as he led her back towards the side-by-side. “I don’t like the way that man is watching us.” 

_Watching me_ , Miranda thought, feeling the eyes that were boring a hole in the back of her head. “I think so, too,” she murmured softly as they neared the machine, pulling the key out of her pocket. “Hold on. I’m going to take a different route back to the reserve.” 

“Why didn’t we take it earlier?” 

“Because it’s a road that only this kind of vehicle can travel and it’s rough but I don’t want Neil showing up at the reserve.” 

“Understandable,” Severus murmured with a nod. 

She heard the squeal of brakes not long after she entered the narrow trail and knew who it was without having to turn around. She realized she’d made the right choice then. He wouldn’t take this road to find her but now she was committed to using this way to get back. 

She hadn’t been kidding when she’d told him the road was rough. In some places, the muskeg was treacherous. It was places where you didn’t want to get stuck. When they reached the halfway point, a clearing that was fairly flat and large, she stopped to give Severus a break. 

“Sorry about that,” she murmured after a few minutes of silence. “I didn’t realize he was still looking for me.” 

“This wasn’t your fault, Miranda,” he told her, watching her carefully. “I’ve seen obsessions like that before. Once they have their sights on something they want, nothing will stop them from trying to acquire it or kill it if that becomes impossible.” 

“At least I won’t have to worry about him finding me in the Wizarding world,” she said with a wry smile. “And my friends know who he is. They won’t tell him where I am. Ready to keep going?” 

“How much further?” 

“Another fifteen minutes and we’ll be at the reserve.” 

“Then let’s keep going.” 

With a nod, she put the machine in gear and they were off again. 

* * *

They were reclining by the fire pit behind Miranda’s house, enjoying the solitude and quietness of the area. It wasn’t quite nine thirty but it was already dark outside. The joys of nearing the end of summer. 

Severus was loath to break the silence between them, but he knew he had to convince her that the baby she was carrying was, indeed, his and not a product of what had happened to her in Granger’s house… but how to convince her? 

She hadn’t believed the proof that he’d shown her, though he wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t believe the paper or she had put it in her head that he was simply trying to make her feel better by lying…

He didn’t know what else to do. He figured he’d have to bide his time and prove to her that he wasn’t lying, that the child she carried really was his. 

* * *

A week later, Severus and Draco were locked in Draco’s office while Harry sat in the garden with Miranda, watching the kids work off some of their energy. 

Draco watched Severus as he did his scans, hoping the outcome would be positive. Unfortunately, the older man’s face betrayed nothing of what he was learning. “You know, Draco. You really should get a new family Mediwizard or witch.” 

Draco closed his eyes and shrugged dismissively. “I haven’t really had the time to look into it.” 

He could almost see Snape’s eyebrow rise. “It might be a good idea, especially now that you’re expecting more additions to the family.” 

His eyes flew open. “It took?” he asked in disbelief before frowning. “Additions?” 

Snape smirked at him in amusement. “You’re going to have to get someone else to confirm my findings, but yes, it would appear that there is more than one in there.” 

He’d never heard of anyone giving birth to multiples when taking the potions, but then no one else was married to Harry Potter either. He laughed and shook his head. “He was right,” he murmured more to himself than to Severus. 

“Who was right and about what?” 

“Harry told me once that he could never do anything halfway,” he said as he shook his head again. “No one else has ever had multiples in this kind of pregnancy. Leave it to Harry to push the boundaries.” 

“Yes,” Snape drawled sarcastically. “Mr. Potter has always been the exception to the rules.” 

“We might as well go tell Harry and put him out of his misery,” Draco said with a laugh. “And yes, I guess I’m going to have to hire a Mediwitch or wizard to live here.” 

They walked outside where Harry sat sipping tea with Miranda. She looked more relaxed, though she still jumped if there was an unexpected noise, but eventually that, too, would pass. 

“So?” Harry asked as Snape sat down, though Draco remained standing, anticipating Harry’s reaction. He showed his feelings more, Draco had noticed, usually when it came to the kids. He didn’t mind. “What’s the verdict?” 

“Pregnant,” Draco told him and waited for the reactions. “With twins.” 

Harry nodded before what was said registered. And by the look Miranda was giving him, he could tell she didn’t believe him. Time would show her. “Twins?” 

“Twins,” he confirmed with an amused look in his eyes. 

Harry jumped up and grabbed Draco, swinging him around, laughing. Draco was surprised, considering he was taller than Harry, but smiled anyway. The kids came running, laughing at them. 

“What’s up, Dad?” James asked, crinkling his nose when Harry kissed Draco before putting him down. 

“It seems,” Draco told them, clearing his throat to regain his composure, ignoring Severus’ eye rolling, “that we are going to have some additions to the family.” 

“Really?” Rebecca asked in surprise, eyes shining in pleasure. More siblings for her to enjoy? 

“Yup,” Harry answered with a wide smile. The kids screamed and laughed, jumping around and Draco was glad they were outside as he winced at the volume. The kids hugged them both before running off to play again. 

“Well, at least they’ve gone back to playing,” Severus murmured in amusement, shaking his head. He still wasn’t fond of screaming kids, but he figured he’d need to get used to it, especially since Miranda was also expecting their first. 

He wondered if she’d told Harry, but since he didn’t tell Draco anything, he figured she hadn’t. With an impatient sigh, he waited for the two younger men to sit down. “It would seem it’s a day for revelations,” he murmured, adding milk to his tea and smiled at Miranda, who frowned and didn’t look at anyone. 

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, taking a sip of his tea. 

It seemed he had been right. “Miranda is also pregnant.” 

Harry and Draco looked over at Miranda in surprise. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Harry asked, smiling at her. Miranda just shrugged and didn’t look at them. 

Snape’s mouth tightened in anger. “Because she’s not sure if it’s mine, even though I told her it is.” 

“Can we not talk about this?” she asked softly, hands clenched together tightly in her lap. 

Draco looked over at Snape, an eyebrow raised. Snape shook his head, and took a sip of his tea. It seemed he was going to have his work cut out for him trying to convince her he knew what he was talking about. Draco didn’t envy him this fight. 

Miranda rose suddenly. “I’ll be back,” she murmured and walked away quickly. 

“Crabbe and Goyle?” Draco asked with an eyebrow raised. 

“Unfortunately,” Snape growled angrily. “She still doesn’t believe that she was pregnant before we were caught.” 

Harry frowned. “She’ll get better, won’t she?” He knew from experience what happened to kids who weren’t wanted. He hoped she could be convinced that Severus was right. He never thought he’d want the older man to be a father, but times changed. 

Severus sighed and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. “I’m working on it. Time will tell.”


	31. Potter Magic

Chapter 31 – Potter Magic

Harry sat beside Draco as they watched the last candidate they had to interview as their new Mediwizard or witch. The man was fairly young, with thick brown hair and hazel eyes. Harry liked him. He had kind eyes, but ultimately, the decision would be Draco’s since he had more experience in this kind of stuff.

Unfortunately they’d been at this for four days, and each candidate seemed to have one flaw or another. Harry was getting a headache with all the dancing around. He just wished Draco would pick one and be done with it.

“I’ve been in General Practice for ten years and my wife and I agreed that it’s too much for me. I was hoping to have my own practice opened by now or under contract with a pureblood family. So, six months ago, I went to the Healer I reported to and submitted an application.”

“It says here that you only applied for a contract last week. If you applied six months ago, why is this saying differently? Why the discrepancy?” Draco asked, frowning down at the file in his hands.

“Four weeks ago, I began to wonder why I wasn’t getting any interviews for Personal Healer, so I went to the man I reported to and he began to give me vague answers, so I went to the head of my department. I found out last week that the Healer I was working under never submitted my petition. When the division Healer realized this, he spoke to my supervisor and asked why. When it was revealed that my petition hadn’t been submitted because my supervisor didn’t want to have to train someone else to replace me, he submitted it for me. Since then, I’ve had three interviews, but they hired someone with more years of experience in the private sector than I have. I can’t fault them for that.”

“How good are you with children?” Harry asked, looking down at the file Draco was reading.

“I did three years as a pediatrician, just to give myself the option of switching to that field. I found it very enlightening. Some are intimidated with children but I realized that they’re no different than adults. They just don’t always tell you what’s wrong with them, that you had to coax them with gentle questions in order to get the answers you need. I found it was quite enjoyable.”

“And pregnancy?”

Healer Sumner sat up a little straighter, if that was possible, and eyed them a couple of seconds before gazing at Draco. “Are you pregnant, sir?”

Harry was surprised he could tell. It had only been a week and a half since Snape had diagnosed Draco. How could this man tell which one was pregnant? Draco nodded.  
Healer Sumner smiled. “Congratulations.”

“Tell me, Healer Sumner, why should we choose you?” Draco asked his face unreadable.

“I can’t answer that for you, sir. Only you know what you’re looking for in a Healer. I would like to think that my honesty and dedication would be an asset, but only time would give you that. Anyone can say they’re good, only experience with the one applying for the job can give you the honest answer of whether or not that person is what you’re looking for.”

“Would you excuse us for a minute?” Draco murmured as he picked up the file in front of him and walked over to the doors. Frowning, Harry followed, wondering if this was a good thing or not.

“What do you think?” Harry asked softly, wondering what was going through Draco’s head.

“He’ll do nicely,” Draco murmured with a smile as he looked out the window so he wouldn’t give anything away to the Healer.

“You are so mean,” Harry said with a laugh, kissing Draco lightly to take the sting out of the words.

“Thank you,” Draco said with a smirk. “Glad to see I haven’t lost my touch.”

They returned to the couch and Draco looked at the Healer waiting patiently for their verdict. “Congratulations, Healer Sumner. You’re hired. When you’re ready to move in, I’ll have a house-elf show you and your wife to your quarters and we’ll add you to the wards,” Draco said. Healer Sumner shook their hands with a happy smile.

“We’ll be ready to move by tomorrow. I promise you won’t regret your decision,” he assured them and left to tell his wife.

* * *

Four months later, Harry roamed around the Manor, trying to think of something to do while he waited for Draco to get back from his shop. The children were currently in school so he couldn’t even use them to distract himself from his boredom. 

He really needed to find himself something to do. He wasn’t used to this much time on his hands. He knew quitting the Aurors had been the right decision… but it had kept him busy.

With a sigh, he entered the office Draco had given him after he’d come up on Harry with a pile of books on their bedroom floor for the fifth time. This was where he’d put everything from his office from Black Manor.

He’d been perusing the floor plans from Potter Manor and Harry was toying with the idea of going there. The Christmas holidays would be starting next week and he figured it would be the best idea if he invited Miranda and Severus, as well as Dudley and his family, to spend it there together…

Miranda had finally accepted the fact that Severus was, indeed, the father of her child. Harry didn’t know how Severus had done it, but he was glad that it had finally been resolved. He’d worried about her mental health, wondering what she was thinking of doing if she hadn’t. She’d been over a few times, but she was busy with her own training, some of which was being taught to her by an independent teacher… and Severus.

Harry, for his own part, had been to Potter Manor a few times, just to check the place out. He would do this when he grew too bored of being alone in the Manor… already, the house-elves had cleaned up the place, preparing rooms for the children, should they decided to go there someday.

In fact, he planned to talk to Draco later and see if he thought it was a good idea.

He frowned as he realized the _Daily Prophet_ lay on his desk. He sat down heavily as he read the headlines. 

_Hermione Granger Dies At St. Mongo’s!_

He read the article quickly, skimming over the reports of why she’d been in the hospital in the first place, already know the reason. He wanted know if it had been because of her injuries or if was foul play… then he found it. _So,_ he thought as he read the part carefully. _She died of her injuries, after all…_ Draco would be glad to know.

* * *

“So, what do you think?” Harry asked while they lay in bed. He’d told the blonde man at supper about Hermione’s death and it was just as he’d figured. Draco had been relieved to hear the news. “Should we spend Christmas at Potter Manor? We could invite everyone to come as well.”

“We can ask the others,” Draco said with smile, watching as Harry’s hand caressed his growing belly. He’d thought he’d have a harder time with being pregnant, but it seemed to agree with him. Even Healer Sumner was surprised. So far, he’d had a mild case of morning sickness, which had passed quickly after the first two months… of course, it helped that he only ate the food Sumner recommended.

“Well, I know George and Ron are willing.” He smiled sheepishly when Draco gave a look of surprise. “I already asked them earlier today.”

Draco laughed and shook his head. Figures. “Are you going to invite Dudley and his family?”

“I was tempted to. It would give the kids time with their cousins, after all.” Harry sighed as he frowned thoughtfully. “I remember Dudley telling me that he usually takes a couple of weeks off during the Christmas holidays so he can take the kids on a vacation somewhere, then a couple more weeks during the summer.”

“Sounds like a good idea when you want to spend some quality time with your children but have to work for a living,” Draco murmured with a nod.

“I thought about inviting him to spend Christmas with us but I don’t really want to intrude.”

Draco rolled over so that he could be above Harry for a bit, to look him in the eyes. “You’re his family, Harry,” he murmured, choosing his words carefully. He knew some of the history between Dudley and Harry, not all, mind you, but enough to know it had been rough between them. “I’m sure he’d like to spend the holidays with you and our children.”

“I guess,” Harry sighed, still frowning. “I’ll send him a letter tomorrow inviting him to visit for the holidays. The rest will be up to him.”

“That’s all you can do at this time.” Draco was quiet for a bit, simply watching his dark haired husband mull over his thoughts before he figured he needed to change the subject. “Have you figured out what you want to do with your free time?” he asked as he leaned down to rest his head against Harry’s shoulder.

“I was thinking of giving writing a try, actually,” Harry said, seizing onto the change quite happily. “With all I know about the Aurors, I’m sure I could write a good mystery novel.”

That surprised Draco. “And with your name, it’s sure to sell easily,” he drawled in amusement.

Harry winced slightly at the reminder. “I was actually thinking of writing under a pseudonym instead of my own name.”

“Have you thought of one?” Draco asked, pulling back slightly to look into green eyes.

Sigh. “Not really, but I don’t want to rely on my name to make money. I know it would help me sell books but I’m not sure I feel comfortable doing it that way.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something for you to use.”

* * *

A month later saw Harry, Draco and the kids at Potter Manor for the Christmas holidays. The children were busy setting up their rooms to their liking. Harry had spent the last two weeks going over the Manor, making sure enough rooms had been cleaned for the group to come. 

Dudley and his family would be arriving in the morning and he was currently making sure the rooms were ready for them. 

Miranda would be arriving in the morning with Severus, though he wouldn’t be staying. He still had to remain at the school for a few more days to make sure there was enough supervision for the remaining students, though there usually was. The old Headmaster had requested rooms not too far from Harry’s and Draco’s so that if Miranda needed help, she wouldn’t have far to go. 

Her pregnancy seemed to be harder on her at the moment. She’d told Harry once that if she got morning sickness, she was glad. She seemed to have to deal with severe cramps and back pains. Severus and Madam Pomfrey still hadn’t figured out what was going on. He was going to ask Sumner to check her over. Maybe he could find the reason behind the problem.

Ron and his family were supposed to be arriving sometime after lunch tomorrow and George and his family would be arriving after supper. He’d told Harry that he could afford to close the store for for Christmas eve and day, so he would be going back and forth during the day. Harry could understand that.

Harry’s new book was set to come out just before Christmas and he’d decided to give a copy to Ron, George, Miranda and Dudley as a gift. Draco had already read it and had been impressed with the story. For his part, Harry wasn’t sure whether to be proud or terrified of the release.

He was glad, however, that not everyone would be arriving at the same time. It would give the -kids – and even the adults – time to get to know each other better. He knew that his kids and Dudley’s kids were used to each other right now, but he wasn’t sure how they would react to living under the same roof for a while. Time would tell.

Rooms taken care of, he went in search of Draco and the kids, wondering where they were and what they were doing. He thought he’d heard Draco mutter something about decorating but he wasn’t quite sure what he meant about that.

When he got to the living room, he was surprised to see Draco and the kids outside in the snow. The blonde man seemed to be doing something out there with his wand but he had no idea what that was. He wasn’t really worried because the Healer and his wife were out there with him with the children running around the yard.

Calling for a house-elf, he asked for his cloak so he could join them. He could hear the adults quietly conversing together between whatever spells they were casting. “What are you guys doing?” he asked when he was close enough to them.

“Setting the spells to decorate the trees in the yard for Christmas,” Jaqueline, Sumner’s wife, explained with a gentle smile. He and Jaqueline had hit it off quickly when they’d met and he adored the petite woman. Her impish smile was infectious and brought a much needed woman’s touch to the household. “You missed this one, Conrad.”

“I was just getting to it, Love,” he murmured with an easy smile.

“Don’t we bring a tree into the house?” Harry asked in confusion.

“Actually,” Draco murmured as he turned to kiss him. “The Potters seemed to have planted a tree in the greenhouse for that purpose and one house-elf was telling the kids that that was where the presents were to be placed. That tree was already decorated in preparation to our arrival.”

“Wow,” he murmured with raised eyebrows. “At least we can reuse the tree every year this way.”

“I think that was the point,” Jaqueline said, burying her hands in her pockets to warm them up. “It saves on cutting down a tree and then having to dispose of it. Very smart, actually.”

“Are the rooms ready for the Dursley and Weasley clans?”

“Yup,” Harry said with a nod. “They’re in the west wing. The house-elves have prepared a suite with three rooms with a communal living room between them. It’s actually nice looking.”

“Good, this way it’ll give them their own space if they want to spend time by themselves.”

“Miranda’s and Severus’ suite are just down the hall from ours, close enough that we can get there quickly.”

“Why would she need to be placed so closely?” Sumner asked, turning to look at them.

“Severus was telling us a few days ago that Miranda’s pregnancy seems to be painful for her. Severe cramps and back pains that stops her from getting around. Madam Pomfrey, the school Mediwitch, hasn’t been able to find out what’s going on. We promised him we’d keep her close so we could be on hand if she needs help and he’s not here,” Harry told him.

“Would you like me to check her when she gets here?” he asked, frowning thoughtfully.

“I was going to ask you to,” Draco said with a shrug. “I know it’s not part of the job description but Miranda seems to be putting off getting checked by a full Healer. I think she’s terrified of them.”

“When does she get here?”

“In the morning, though we’re not quite sure what time.”

Sumner nodded, wrapping an arm around his wife. “I’ll wait until she’s settled and then check her. It might be harmful to the baby.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

After supper, they smiled as Harry’s children ooh’ed and aah’ed as the trees outside came alive with lights, flickering and changing colours. Harry had to admit that it was quite a sight to see. 

“This is to entice the sprites and spirits to come back and bring summer with them,” Rebecca explained to the boys as they pressed their faced to the windows to get a better look at the decorations.

“Wow!” Sirius breathed in awe.

“Daddy!” Lily exclaimed as she pointed at the lights outside. “Pretty lights!”

“Yes, sweetheart,” Harry murmured in amusement, his arm around Draco’s waist, watching the children. “Pretty.”

“I sent Severus a message before supper telling him that Sumner would check Miranda when she comes over. He sent back a message stating he would bring some information he had on her in case the Healer needed it.”

Harry wondered just what the older man knew that Harry didn’t… He’d find out in the morning.

* * *

Hermione had been awake for a couple of weeks but kept pretending she was still in a coma. She’d spent that time trying to get her body to respond. It had been hard at first, just moving her fingers had been an effort, but now, she was able to move her arms and shoulders. Her feet still weren’t responding but she figured it was just a matter of time…

Once she was able to move properly, she would escape from St. Mongo’s and exact her revenge on Potter and his family.

The door opened, allowing three men into her room. Watching from beneath her lids, she wondered who they were. At first she’d thought it was a Healer or Mediwitch checking up on her but they weren’t dressed as such…

“Good evening, Mrs. Marvolo,” the man said, as if he knew she was really awake and watching them. “I’m sure you won’t remember me but I know you,” he said with a smug smile as he watched her carefully.

Realizing they knew she wasn’t in a coma anymore, she opened her eyes to look at them. “What do you want?” she asked in a roughened voice.

“We’re here to smuggle you out of here, of course,” the man said as if it were obvious. “You see, our clients aren’t happy with the way you’ve handled your end of the plans and the consequent capturing of certain people because of it. They’ve ordered us to… take care of you.”

“Are you going to kill me?” she asked, her heart skipping a few beats as fear filled her.

“Oh, no,” he said with a smile. “You wouldn’t learn your lesson if we simply killed you.” She sighed softly in relief but it was short lived. “We’re here to take you to Azkaban so the others can exact their revenge of their capture because of you. Of course, no one will know you’re there since these men won’t be recording it in their books.”

“You can’t do that!” she gasped in shock. “The people here will know I’ve been taken out!”

“In point of fact, Mrs. Marvolo, they won’t,” the stranger told her in a matter of fact tone. “They already have you marked as having passed away four weeks ago. You haven’t been in St. Mongo’s since then. My people and I are very efficient, you know.”

He nodded to the two men on the other side of the bed.

“How did you know I’d even wake up?” she asked in shock and confusion. 

“Because we’ve been giving you an experimental potion designed to bring people out of comas. In fact, you could say you were our trial run. We knew the instant you were awake but waited to see what you would do. You see, we needed to wait until you could at least fight back a little or it wouldn’t be any sport to the people in Azkaban.”

“You can’t do this!” she cried out as the two silent men grabbed hold of her arms, dragging her out of bed, supporting her weight since her legs wouldn’t.

“You’ll find out soon enough that we can,” the man murmured as he cast a Silencing spell on her before covering her head with a bag. “Take her to Azkaban. Make sure the other guards don’t realize she’s there before you allow the others to have their fun.”

“Yes, sir.”

* * *

The next day, after breakfast, Severus and Miranda arrived… and she didn’t look to be feeling too good. Despite her protest that she wanted to stay and visit with everyone, Severus led her upstairs to take a nap.

Healer Sumner went up with them and took the opportunity to cast some scans while she slept. 

They were waiting for him in the suite’s living room when he came out of the bedroom, frowning at whatever he’d found out. “There’s a lot of scar tissue in her abdomen. Do you know anything of her medical history?” he asked Severus.

“I had Madam Pomfrey do some scans on her last summer,” the older man murmured as he held out a folder.

The Healer was quiet while he read through the papers he’d been given, frowning in confusion. “I don’t understand how this wasn’t taken care of when it happened,” he said finally, closing the file.

“That’s because until a few months ago, Miranda was a muggle,” Severus murmured with a sigh as he propped an elbow on the lit fireplace. “She was one of the very few muggles who couldn’t tolerate any kind of contact with our potions and spells. This past summer, she was given a potion against her will and it started the process of changing her on the molecular level. By the time I figured out what was happening, it was almost too late. I found a ritual that would accelerate the changes and make her fully a witch but I needed a powerful witch or wizard to make it happen. It just so happens, Harry here was just what I was looking for. I used the ritual to make her his sister by blood.” He left out the part about them being married in the same ritual. It wasn’t necessary for what the Healer needed to know. “What exactly is the problem?”

“Well, the amount of damage she underwent has caused scar tissue to build up in her abdomen. Had she never gotten pregnant, it would’ve been an easy process of giving her specific potions to rid her body of them, but her pregnancy is just making it worse. It’s pressing the tissue between her spine and the uterus.”

“Is it harmful to the baby?” Harry asked, worry in his voice.

“At the moment, yes and no. Every time the baby moves, it also moves the womb. It’s pulling on the scar tissue, hence the pain she’s feeling. The foetus is still young enough that we could probably get rid of some of the scar tissue but it will be painful for her,” Sumner murmured as he reread the file. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. “In time, it could be a danger to the baby but I’m not sure. The choice is yours to make. I can get the potions necessary from St. Mongo’s.”

Severus was quiet as he thought it over. He knew it needed to be done. This pregnancy couldn’t keep going like it was. It wasn’t getting better for her and some days Miranda couldn’t even get out of bed except to use the bathroom and even then it was painful for her. “And if we wait?”

“I have to warn you,” Sumner said with a troubled frown. “The longer we wait to do this, the worse it’s going to get. Right now, the baby isn’t moving as much as it will soon be. Once that changes, it’s going to get even more painful for Miranda. There’s a risk that the uterus could tear and kill the baby and maybe her as well.”

They all looked at the Healer in shock, absorbing what they’d been told. “Do it,” Severus finally said. 

Sumner nodded and used the Floo powder in the room to Floo to St. Mongo’s. 

* * *

“Harry, put a silencing spell on the room before we begin,” Sumner said as he began laying out some potions on the coffee table. 

“You don’t want to do this in the bedroom?” Harry asked in surprise. The Healer had called them into the suite an hour before supper. Now they were just waiting to see what would happen. 

“No. In fact, it’ll be better in here,” Sumner said as he straightened up. “There’ll be more room out here than in the bedroom. When I give her the first one, it’ll begin the process of protecting the baby. The second one will begin taking the scar tissue out, dissolving them as if they never existed. That part will be painful. Headmaster, I’m going to need you to hold her. She’s going to need comforting. Since the scar tissue is in her back, she’ll need someone to massage it. It won’t really make it any less painful, but it’ll help clear it faster.” As Sumner finished telling them this, he transfigured the couch into a Daybed.

“Did you tell Miranda this?” Harry asked with a frown. He was now glad that Fred and Ron were here to occupy the children, having arrived an hour ago.

“I didn’t want to scare her, so no, not really. I simply told her I had some potions that would help take care of the pain she was feeling.”

“Probably a wise decision,” Draco murmured with a nod.

“Let’s get this started,” Severus said with a sigh, walking towards the bedroom door where Miranda was resting. Today wasn’t kind to her. He’d left her curled up on the bed, trying to sleep a bit… not that it seemed to be doing any good.

She was still in the same place he’d left her, on her right side, trying to breathe through the pain. It was the only thing that made it slightly bearable. With a soft apology, Severus picked her up as gently as he could. 

She made a sound of pain but didn’t fight him.

He took her into the living room where the others were waiting for them. “If you hold her as she lies facing you, it’ll be easier for someone to message her back.”

They helped him get comfortable on the Daybed. “Now, this is going to hurt but once the potions have done their job, the pain will be gone,” the healer told Miranda, brushing the hair out of her face before holding out the first potion for her to take.

She blinked tiredly up at the potion before she took it with a sigh. Severus knew she just wanted the pain to go away. He hoped this worked because he was tired of seeing her in pain much of the time. The first potion was obediently taken. “We just need to wait a minute or two before the next potion is taken,” Sumner said with a gentle smile, taking the empty bottle from her.

When he handed her the second potion, he also nodded towards one of the other two men. Snape didn’t know who was going to do the massaging but he wasn’t really surprised when Draco knelt beside them, waiting for the signal to begin.

Within seconds, Miranda made a sound of distress, her body tensing against his and he held her closer in comfort. Draco’s fingers reached out and began massaging Miranda’s back where the Healer indicated it should be done. At first, Severus didn’t seen any sign of improvement, if fact, Miranda’s hands clenched harder at his shirt as she panted through the pain, brows furrowed in pain, but little by little, the pain seemed to ease slightly. Her hold on his shirt didn’t loosen but at least it wasn’t getting tighter, either.

He lost track of time as he held her, hoping for a quick end for her. He didn’t like seeing her in unnecessary pain, but understood this had to be done. Sumner finally held out a potion phial to him. “Give her this one now.”

Pushing her hair out of her sweat-covered face, Severus took the potion from the Healer and pressed it against her lips. “We’re almost done, Miranda,” he whispered when she refused to open her mouth. “Two more potions and you’re done.”

He smiled when her lips parted and the potion was dutifully taken. 

“Now we wait five minutes,” Sumner said as he took the bottle from him. “This is to make sure the scar tissue is completely dissolved. The last potion is to make sure it doesn’t come back again. Afterwards, you can sleep, Miranda. In the morning, there will be no more pain.”

Exactly five minutes later, Sumner held out the last potion for Miranda to take. Severus was glad it was over with. From now on, there would be no more pain for her to have. He was surprised that he’d never even thought of the damage that had been done to her body by her ex-boyfriend. Actually, he’d never even thought to check for it, either.

Perhaps it was a good thing she’d made the move to the Wizarding world. He didn’t think anything could’ve been done to help her in the muggle world… but he wasn’t sure.

Severus watched as the Healer ushered Draco and Harry out of the suite, reassuring the men that everything had gone as planned. That Miranda was now out of danger and would be completely healed by morning.

“Headmaster,” Sumner murmured softly as he looked down at Miranda. Only now did he realize she’d fallen asleep, the lines of pain gone from her face. He’d gotten used to seeing them and realized that he preferred seeing her without them. “If you put her down on the Daybed, I can cast some scans and make sure all the scar tissue had been eliminated.”

The Healer helped hold her up so he could slide out from under her and she was laid down again on her side. He watched as scans were cast and felt relief flood him when Sumner smiled in satisfaction, holding out a piece of paper. “You can add this to her file, Headmaster. The tissue had been completely dissolved. There should be no more pain for her ever again.”

“Thank you, Healer Sumner,” Severus murmured as he took the paper from him with a nod of gratitude. “Can I put her on our bed now?”

“Yes, it’s safe to move her,” Sumner said with a nod. “I’ll leave you together and see you both in the morning.”

With another thank you, Severus picked Miranda up and took her into the bedroom to place her under the blankets.

* * *

The next day, George and Ron talked the kids into going outside to play snowball fight. It ended up a hilarious affair as Harry and Dudley joined in, throwing balls at Ron and George. Even the kids joined in, pelting the adults with snow. The women sat close to the Manor, laughing at the commotion going on, drinking something warm. Miranda was sitting, a blanket wrapped around her legs so she wouldn’t get cold, Ron’s wife sitting with her.

Sumner had gone to St. Mongo’s for his regular day of work, feeling comfortable with leaving them there, while Severus went back to the school to finish up some things. This was normal.

This was the pattern for the next few days leading to Christmas Eve.

* * *

Christmas morning found the kids jumping on Harry’s and Draco’s bed to wake them up. “Come on, Dad!” Albus exclaimed in excitement.

“Alright,” Harry laughed as he sat up, dragging the blankets off himself so he could stand up. The kids squealed and ran out of the room, James holding on to Lily’s hand so she could keep up with them. “We’d better get down there before they open all the presents.”

“Yes,” Draco drawled in amusement as he pulled himself out of his comfortable bed. “Children have no patience, after all.”

They didn’t take the time to get dressed but followed the children downstairs. Miranda was already there. She smiled at them when they entered, a blanket wrapped around herself. Dudley and his family showed up not long after them. Shortly after that, George and his wife came in.

“Where’s Severus?” Harry asked as he sat beside Miranda. A setting of coffee and pastries appeared on the table before him and he smiled, picking up a cup and pastry and holding it out for her.

“I left him to sleep for a while longer,” she told him, accepting them both from him. “Thanks. He came in late last night and I figured he needed more sleep. So when Albus came in to wake us up, I told him to be quiet and I crawled out of bed.”

“Should we wait for him to open presents?” Harry asked Draco after he’d related what Miranda had told him.

“Maybe we should,” Draco murmured with a frown.

“That will be unnecessary,” Severus murmured as he walked into the room, immaculately dressed. 

“Severus,” Miranda murmured with a smile. “I thought you’d sleep longer.”

“No, I slept long enough. The children will be impatient to open presents. I’d hate to make them wait.”

Miranda looked over at where the children were already looking at the presents, ignoring the adults. “James, why don’t you guys start handing out the presents?” she called out.  
With an excited smile, the children began digging into the presents, finding out who it belonged to and passing it along.

* * *

It was quite few days of excitement and laughter that passed quickly as they relaxed around the Manor or played outside in the snow but soon it was time to head back home and the work that awaited the adults and school for the children.

“Well, that was fun,” Harry murmured as the children took off to put their things in their rooms, settling all their new toys with their old ones.

“Yes,” Draco murmured as he draped his arm around Harry’s waist. “It went better than I’d expected. I didn’t think we’d get along as well as everyone did.”

“I knew it would be fine,” Harry said with a smile as he led Draco into the living room. “It was good to see everyone in good spirits.”

“Mm,” Draco hummed as they reclined beside the fire. “What are we doing after this?”

“Well, I’m thinking of starting up a new book.”

“What will this one be about?” the blonde asked in curiosity. He’d liked the first book Harry had written about: a nice story about a haunting in a muggle house. It had been well written with some humour.

“I was thinking maybe a private detective novel. Since I have some experience in that field, it might actually work out.”

“Do you think it’ll work? I know the publisher hadn’t sent word about how well the first one had sold but I think you’re right. Since it is your previous occupation, it wouldn’t take much to fall back on for information.”

“Exactly,” Harry said with a grin. “I think it’ll be good for me to write about what I really know.”

“Then do it.”


	32. Epilogue

Chapter 32 – Epilogue

 

Draco lay in bed in St. Mungo’s, exhausted but happy as he held the baby boy they’d named Scorpius. Beside him stood their family Healer, Michael, who was just part of the family, it seemed. He still worked at St. Mungo’s two days of the week, but for the most part, he stayed at the Manor. 

Life was definitely good. 

Already he could tell this child was going to look like him, with his blonde hair. It was when he opened his eyes that you could tell he was also Harry’s child. The most amazing green eyes would stare up at him from the little boy, though at the moment his eyes were closed.

He smiled and looked over at Harry, who was holding their second little surprise, Erin, another baby boy with black hair and silver eyes. He’d never thought that combination would look as attractive as it did. And he was theirs. Scorpius would take on the Malfoy name and Erin would take on the Black name, at Harry’s insistence.

His reasoning behind it? Because the Black name was such an old one, they couldn’t allow it to die out just because Sirius had had no heir. Seeing as Draco was blood related to Harry’s godfather, it wasn’t that farfetched, really.

“Do you want everyone brought in? Or should I bring the babies out and let you rest for a little?” Harry asked softly.

Draco shrugged and smiled at him. “Bring them in. They won’t stay long.”

Nodding, Harry got up, laughing when Erin opened his eyes and glared at him for moving before he sighed and went back to sleep.

It didn’t take long for the small room to feel crowded. The three kids sat on the bed with Draco, looking at Scorpius while Molly held on to Lily who was cooing at Erin. They laughed at the look on the baby’s face.

It was almost like he was asking who the hell this person was.

Draco was a little overwhelmed, but after almost a year of getting used to the Weasley hoard, he was beginning to enjoy having an extended family.

He noticed Snape and Miranda there as well, though they hung back from all the noise. He could see Snape’s hand rubbing her back as she leaned against him. He figured she should still have a couple of months left to her pregnancy and he knew from experience that she was probably more than ready for it to happen.

Maybe having twins was better than only one. He only had to enjoy the discomforts for six and an half months.

Not surprisingly, Harry’s cousin and his wife stood against the wall not far from Snape, also hanging back with their two kids. He understood his need to have his family accept him.

Surprisingly, everything had gone smother than he’d thought it would. Everyone was getting along beautifully.

Draco looked down at Scorpius and smiled gently at the little boy.

Yes, life was _definitely_ good.

 

The End


End file.
